


Axe and Sword

by Athenowl



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Archery, Blood and Injury, F/F, F/M, Gen, Good Peter Pettigrew, Indian James Potter, Kidnapping, M/M, Magic, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Medieval road trip, Swordfighting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:20:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 66,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26639461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Athenowl/pseuds/Athenowl
Summary: When Sirius accompanied his best friend, Prince James of the Eastern Coast, to Frystmark for the annual council, he was expecting to be very bored and very cold. This expectation was utterly destroyed within a few days of arriving, when three things happened:1. He met Remus, the exceptional prince of Frystmark with an unholy amount of freckles2. He learned to ice skate on a frozen lake3. The city was attacked, sending him and his six new friends on a wild chase across the continent, where they have to evade assassins, track down a magic dagger that hasn't been seen in 70 years, and defeat King Riddle before he starts a war that would destroy the tentative peace between nations.Medieval AU where James, Marlene, Dorcas, and Remus are royalty, Sirius and Peter are hanging on for dear life, and Lily is the only one with actual common sense.**Chapter 1 is a map of the continent in case you need a reference!
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 58
Kudos: 88





	1. Map

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back y'all! You have NO IDEA how hyped I am for this fic. Chapters 1 and 2 are already over 8k words each and I cannot wait to share this story with you!


	2. Prologue

“Have the preparations been made?”

“Yes, your highness.”

“I hope you did not assign your best men to this job.”

“…sir?”

The king sighed and set his pen down, steepling his bony fingers in a way that bled frustration. “When I made you the captain of the guard, I had hoped you would have more brains, Lucius. Your best men are trained veterans, are they not?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“And they are loyal members of my staff?”

“Of course, my lord.”

“Then what possessed you to believe sending them into a bloodbath in the coldest part of the continent was a good idea?” The king’s patience had worn thin. For a moment, he considered killing the man where he stood, but his plans were too far along already to find a replacement.

To his credit, Malfoy looked appropriately stricken. “I don’t know, sir.”

“Fix it. I don’t have time for delays.”

With a curt nod and a bow, Lucius swept out of the office, nearly catching the end of his black cloak in the heavy door as he shut it behind him. The king sighed once more and slipped his paperwork into his desk; he had too much on his mind to worry about silly things like border disputes right now.

Frystmark was a wasteland of ice, snow, and rock. Its people were as barbaric as the creatures that roamed the dense forests and tundra, but they were just as dangerous—his soldiers would be butchered without the element of surprise. The legends about the North were grisly things: people said the warriors ate the hearts of their fallen foes raw and let their children play on the ground with their pets, like animals. King Riddle didn’t believe a single word, but his men did, and that was enough.

Still, getting through Frystmark would be easy compared to the second phase of his plan, even with the treacherous landscape and unforgiving weather. Varghal, the capital, was a veritable fortress, built between shadowed woods and the base of a terrible mountain. The outer wall was guarded by massive wolves and weapon-laden humans alike; to charge it head-on was a suicide mission.

Riddle leaned his head back against his chair, breathing in the sweet wind that rolled in through his tower window. He had been so busy lately—world domination was an exhausting business and continued to drain his energy even after seventy years of gradual conquest.

Silvalith was an untamed land full of impoverished farmers before Riddle rose to power and began expanding her borders. Few alive today remembered his original campaign, one that ended abruptly with a single misplaced failure, but he had plenty of the previous Middle Kingdom to show for it, and soon, Frystmark would follow.

And after the great northern stronghold was razed, once the royals were gone and the land of barbarians conquered…well, it would be only too easy to take the rest of the world for his own. His immortal kingdom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated! Come talk to me at @wayward-demigod-witch on tumblr! Chapter 1 should be up sometime tomorrow.


	3. The Wolf's Den

“James, did you pack any trousers?”

“Of course, I’m not an—oh, hang on, I don’t think I did.”

Sirius rolled his eyes and shoved his arms deeper into the pile of colorful clothing that threatened to devour his elbows whole. “Those might be helpful if you’re going to be stomping around in the snow.”

“ _We_ are going to be stomping around.”

“What?”

“Didn’t Mum and Dad tell you? You’re coming with us to Varghal.”

“It’s _Varg_ -hall, James, not _vargull_. Of the two of us, you should know that.” Sirius emerged with a handful of mismatched pants and wandered into the next room to throw them at James’ head. “Since when am I going with you?”

James snorted as he caught the trousers and shoved them in his bag. “Since this morning. Mum was worried I’d get bored and cause trouble between the meetings, so she wants you to supervise me or something.” 

“Right, because I’m just brilliant at doing that.” Sirius tapped his friend’s golden circlet as he passed, setting it at a jaunty angle in his unruly curls. “I’ll pack tonight. D’you have an extra coat?”

A mischievous smile flitted across James’ face. “Yeah, I think I kept the one I outgrew when I was seven.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Sirius laughed, giving him a solid shove on the shoulder. “I’ll have you know I’m a perfectly average height.”

“For a dwarf, maybe,” James muttered, earning himself a smack to the head. “Ow!”

A gentle knock in the other room interrupted them. “Boys, I hope you’re done packing.”

“Almost, Mum,” James said, hastily cramming in the nearest article of clothing next to his pants as Lady Euphemia raised an eyebrow from the doorway.

“I haven’t started yet,” Sirius admitted. “ _Somebody_ needed a helping hand so he wouldn’t forget his trousers.”

“Well, if worst comes to worst, James can always borrow one of my dresses.”

“Mum!” James’ scandalized look sent both his mother and Sirius into a fit of giggles.

“Don’t worry, Jamie,” Sirius said as solemnly as he could. “We both know I’d look better than you anyway. It’s all in the legs.”

“What did I do to deserve this?” James wondered aloud as Sirius dissolved into laughter once again. “I’m a good son. A decent representative.”

“And an absolute troublemaker,” Lord Fleamont said as he entered the room. “There you are, my love.” Euphemia’s face lit up as he kissed her on the cheek and enfolded her in a hug.

“Are you sure Sirius and I have to go?” James asked, watching wistfully out the window at the distant sea. “Varghal is going to be frozen solid.”

“ _Varg_ -hall,” Euphemia and Fleamont corrected in unison. James immediately turned and glared at Sirius.

“I didn’t say it!” he protested.

“James, someday you will be the leader of this nation,” Fleamont said, crossing the room and placing his hands on James’ shoulders. Euphemia winked at Sirius from behind his back as the oh-so-familiar speech began. “That means you will represent not only our family, but also the mainland and each of the islands to the rest of the world. A great responsibility comes with this—sacrifices must be made for the people we care for and your citizens will look to you as an example. Attending the annual council meetings is one of your duties.”

“Besides, it’s still early autumn. I hear Frystmark is lovely this time of year,” Euphemia added. “Sirius, you should go pack before dinner. James, please make sure you bring your trousers.”

“Trousers!” Fleamont straightened suddenly. “That’s what I forgot!”

* * *

The journey to Frystmark was surprisingly comfortable. Their caravan was not large, consisting of two carriages: Euphemia, Fleamont, and James would represent the island council of the Eastern Coast and only brought three attendants with them. Sirius wasn’t an attendant, but he wasn’t technically part of the royal family, either—as the royal ward, he existed in a strange in-between place that boiled down to a position as James’ official best friend. It was the best job in the world, as far as he was concerned.

They followed the line of the coast, and Sirius could feel the temperature growing colder and drier with each passing day. The glittering teal sea became a dark, eerie blue as they went north and the warm breezes that tickled his face were replaced by howling winds. Sirius remembered the winters in west Silvalith with their frozen rivers and large snowflakes, but the chill of Frystmark settled somewhere deep in his bones as they crossed the border.

Even the forests were different: Harindvar, though it was a prolific trading hub, did not have many trees to speak of, and the Middle Kingdom’s lush forests had all turned auburn and gold as autumn set in. Frystmark’s trees were a deep green with needlelike leaves and rough bark—they smelled _sharp_ , totally unlike the earthy softness of oak or elm.

“What kind of people would choose to live here?” James asked quietly on the sixth night of their journey while Fleamont and Euphemia dozed on the opposite bench seat. His breath was visible against the icy glass of their carriage and Sirius was grateful for the extra coat he had borrowed.

“You know the king and queen better than I do.” Sirius squinted into the night; he could have sworn he saw something move out there.

James huffed. “That’s the weird part. Queen Hope is as sweet as Mum, and King Lyall reminds me of Dad, if someone stole his sense of humor. Their son's a bit odd, though. I can’t imagine anyone willingly signing up to live in the snow nine months of the year.”

“What do you mean?” Sirius frowned.

“About what?”

“You said their son was odd.”

“Well, it’s not that he’s _odd_ , he just…” James trailed off, biting the edge of his fingernail.

“He freaks you out.” Realization dawned on Sirius and he grinned. “You’re scared of him! What did he _do_?”

“I’m not scared of him!” James hissed. “And shush, you’ll wake Mum and Dad.”

“You totally are.”

“No, it’s—” James ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “He’s quiet, but not in a shy way. He spends most of the meetings watching everyone else and only chimes in when he can completely tear apart their argument, then comes up with this amazing plan to help three countries at once.”

“So…you’re jealous?”

“I should be.” James’ voice was barely above a murmur and Sirius wondered if he had meant to say it aloud at all. “At the last council, this general from Silvalith tried to be an ass about his mum’s idea and he shut the guy down with less than ten words. He reminds me a lot of Marlene, actually, if she had any self-control whatsoever.”

Sirius smiled. He liked Marlene for exactly that reason: she had an air of 'pretentious spoiled princess', but in truth she was wickedly smart and had a knack for trouble that rivaled his own. She was handy with a longsword, too.

“I’m glad you’re here with me.” James bumped him on the shoulder and Sirius looked away from the wilderness to return the gesture. “I know it’s the future of our country and everything, but it can get deadly boring without you.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Sirius said. “We should get some sleep. Your mum said we’d be there by tomorrow afternoon and Marlene will never let me live it down if I lose to her in another duel.”

* * *

Despite the creepy woods and the inherent intensity that came with a city built against a mountain, Varghal was beautiful. Sirius stared at the massive wall in awe as they passed through it, trundling along below muscular warriors and the biggest dogs he had ever seen. The mountain, like everything else, was larger than life: it shone in a myriad of icy blues and lilac against the glaring white of the snow.

The charcoal-gray castle wasn’t _actually_ a castle, not by Sirius’ definition of the word. It was more like a really, really, big lodge with a sharply slanted roof to keep the snow off. Contrary to James’ previous comments, the people looked quite happy to be there: they smiled and waved to the Eastern Coast carriages while a herd of small children ran along behind them, shrieking with laughter.

The shock of the cold on Sirius’ unprotected face as he stepped out must have been clear, because an elderly woman came over from her soup pot and adjusted the edges of his collar into their proper position, tutting under her breath. “Welcome to the North, dear. Do try not to lose any fingers on your first day.”

Somehow, Sirius didn’t think she was joking as he shivered out a ‘thank you’ and hurried after James.

The massive doors opened with a groan and three people stepped off the dais to greet them. “Welcome to Varghal, friends!” King Lyall’s deep voice echoed off the stone walls as he crossed the room. The informality of the gesture was a bit surprising, but Sirius had to admit he appreciated the lack of stiffness. “How was your journey?”

Sirius was vaguely aware of King Lyall and Queen Hope speaking with Fleamont and Euphemia, but his vison tunneled as soon as the prince came into view.

He was tall—taller than James, Sirius noted with a sense of satisfaction—but not nearly as broad as his father, though the sword at his hip hinted at a lot more muscle than met the eye. His wavy hair was the color of sweet caramel, and his eyes—

Sirius nearly keeled over when the prince looked at him; it was a true miracle his knees didn’t dissolve into slush. The sharp amber pinned him in place and he finally realized what James had been talking about: there was no doubt in his mind that the prince was the quickest, most observant person in the room.

“—and our ward, Sirius.” Euphemia’s smooth voice snapped him back to reality and he turned to the king and queen, turning on his brightest smile to hide the fact that he had just been ogling their son in the middle of their court.

“It’s lovely to meet you. You have a beautiful…mountain.” Sirius regretted his word choice as soon as it left his mouth, but the twinkle in Queen Hope’s eye and a quiet huff from behind her soothed his fear. The prince was barely holding down a smile, and his shoulders shook with silent laughter.

“This is our son, Remus,” King Lyall stepped aside slightly to make room for the prince.

Remus shook Sirius’ hand with the ghost of a grin at the edges of his lips. “A pleasure.” 

“Indeed,” Sirius said. Would it be inappropriate to wink? Probably.

He did it anyway. The faint dusting of pink along the tops of Remus’ freckled cheekbones—freckles, oh, _yes_ —was poorly hidden as he moved to greet James and his parents.

A guard with biceps the size of Sirius’ head led them to a nearby lodge once the initial greeting was done; they would have the welcome feast later for a proper ‘hello’, anyway, and the king and queen couldn’t spend all day chatting.

“I can’t believe you,” James whispered as they followed his parents to the lodge. “I _cannot_ believe you.”

“What did I do?” Sirius hissed back.

“Flirting! You were flirting with the fucking prince!” James’ ears had gone red, but he sounded more baffled than angry. “Why the _hell_ did you do that?”

“Did you see him?” Sirius snorted. James punched him lightly on the arm. “Ouch! It’s not like you’re rival countries or anything!”

“He might be _betrothed_ , Sirius,” James said slowly, like he was explaining it to a child.

“So, what, you think I’m sexy enough to swoop in and steal some poor Frystmarkan’s man?”

“That is _not the point_. The point is that there could be some sort of political agreement that he’s involved in and if you screw it up it could have actual consequences!”

“…so you _do_ think I’m sexy enough to—”

“Oh, for the love of—” James made a funny sort of grumbling noise and turned his back on Sirius.

“Do you want to know what the best part was?” Sirius waited a moment, and when James continued to march on ahead of him, he began prodding his back. “James. Jamie. I know you want to know what the best part was.”

James stopped walking and turned around, looking thoroughly exhausted. “What, pray tell, was the best part?”

Sirius’ smile was downright devilish. “It worked.”

“Jamie!” A blur of yellow and purple almost bowled poor James over.

“Hello to you, too, Marlene,” Sirius said sarcastically. “I’m doing well, thanks for asking.”

“Shut up, you.” Marlene threw herself at him in the way only she could, wrapping her arms tight around his chest and squeezing tight enough to make him wheeze. “I’ve missed you both so much!”

“It’s good to see you.” His voice was a bit muffled in her golden curls, and the hilt of the sword across her back threatened his eye each time she moved. “How’s the lion court? Not in shambles from your adventures yet?”

“I’ve done my damndest, but still she stands,” Marlene held him at arm’s length with a wide smile. “I guess I’ll need my partner in crime one of these days.”

“You’ve already got one,” a tall woman said, smiling as she hugged Marlene from behind. “You can’t get rid of me that easily, especially not for _Sirius_.”

Sirius mock-fainted. “Imagine the scandal.”

“Don’t worry, Dorcas, he’s got his eye on someone else.” James wrapped his arms around Dorcas’ waist, creating a strange three-person centipede where his chin just barely cleared her shoulder.

“Who?” Marlene asked, grabbing Sirius by the arms and shaking him in excitement. “Who, who, who?”

“Let’s see,” James said. “We’ve been here for half an hour and the only people we’ve met are an elderly woman who warned him against frostbite and the royal family. I’ll give you three guesses, and the first two don’t count.”

“You _didn’t_ ,” Dorcas and Marlene gasped at the same time, though one sounded significantly more gleeful than the other.

“And he succeeded,” James groaned, thumping his forehead against Dorcas’ back.

"Poor Remus doesn't know what he's getting himself into," Dorcas laughed. "I'll have to tell him to stay far away from you."

"Hey!" Sirius protested. "I'm a perfectly lovely individual."

"No, you're not," the three of them chorused.

“Peter would agree with me," he sniffed as he pulled Marlene's arms around him and settled into the chain. "Where is he, by the way?”

Marlene pressed her face between his shoulder blades and hummed happily. _Always a cuddler_ , he thought with an internal eye roll. “I’m sure he’ll be here soon enough. Some of the Silval knights were giving him a hard time earlier and he wanted a little time to read after unloading everything.”

“Which knights?” James’ asked. His voice carried a faux-casual edge.

“A couple of the idiots that always come along.”

“Which knights, Marlene?”

“Rosier and Yaxley,” she sighed. “Don’t worry, I already beat them in a fight and they apologized to him.” James made an unhappy sound, but he dropped the issue. “Come on, I need you three to admire my dress for the party tonight. Dorcas, darling, you already gave your opinion, but I could stand to hear it again.”

* * *

Marlene’s dress was, admittedly, quite wonderful. If Sirius had been attracted to women in the slightest, he would have been smitten by her after her entrance into the welcome feast. The light from the torches sparkled off the silver fabric as the steward announced the royal family of Tidoras and she took her seat next to Dorcas, who was deep in conversation with the rest of the representatives from Marajis and whose own golden dress complemented Marlene’s perfectly.

 _Quite the pair_ , Sirius thought as he took a sip of ale and made a face at the taste.

“King Lyall, Queen Hope, and Prince Remus of Frystmark!” The steward’s voice rang out and Sirius came terribly close to spitting his drink all over James, who gave him an exasperated look as he coughed into a napkin.

Remus cast a quick look his way and the corners of his mouth twitched up. Unfortunately for Sirius’ coherent thought process or general ability to drink things, Remus’ tan tunic and navy blue cloak were exceedingly flattering against his...well, _everything_. Sirius sent a silent litany of gratitude to Euphemia for inviting him along to the council.

The feast itself was delicious and loud, just the way Sirius liked it. He thrived on the energy of a crowd, and the meeting of six countries over a wonderful dinner and plenty of ale set him alight from the inside. He was sure he could live off this feeling for years.

However, the real fun came _after_ the meal, when the bards kicked into an upbeat tune and everyone began pushing the tables to the sides of the room to free up space for a dance floor. The hall grew louder and more chaotic, filled with swirling bodies and off-key singing that warmed the place so much that Sirius forgot how cold it was outside the walls. He wheeled around the room with Marlene, both of them laughing as they slipped between young children who wanted in on the excitement. He and James shared a dramatic slow dance once Marlene swept off to find Dorcas, much to the amusement of the older couples around them.

He took a break during a lull in the music, snagging his half-finished pint and a fresh one from the table as he made a beeline for the far windows. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“I live here,” Remus laughed, taking the offered drink.

“Do you really? I hadn’t noticed. The boots really threw me off.” Sirius grinned as Remus kicked him lightly with the aforementioned boots, which were fur-lined and clearly meant for heavy snow. He snickered and grimaced at his ale. “I’m really sorry, but this is terrible.”

“It is, isn’t it? Don’t tell my da, but I can’t stand the stuff.” Remus raised his pint to a passing noble with a fake smile and took a sip of it, his face twisting.

“Are you betrothed?” Sirius asked.

Remus, who had just been tipping his flagon back for another drink, choked and spluttered. “No—” Sirius smacked him on the back twice as he regained his breath and turned to halfheartedly glare at him. “ _No_ , I am not betrothed. Why do you ask?”

“James was curious.”

“James?” Remus raised his eyebrows and glanced across the ballroom, where James was clearly struggling to escape a conversation with an elderly Middle Kingdom general. “He’s not really my type, unfortunately.”

“Tragic. He had his heart set on you, you know. He’ll be devastated.”

“I can’t say I hope he recovers. I have a reputation as a real heartbreaker around here,” Remus said mildly, waving to James as he desperately signaled to Sirius.

“Do you?”

“Oh, yeah, the old women and the twelve-year-olds are just falling all over themselves.” They glanced at each other, then burst into laughter. Remus had a nice laugh, though it was a bit shy.

“Really, though, James wanted to make sure you weren’t promised to someone,” Sirius said as soon as he regained his breath. “I think he was worried I would accidentally end the political world with a bit of flirting.”

“Wouldn’t that be something.” Remus rolled his eyes and leaned against the windowsill, letting out a long breath. “It’s nice to have visitors. We’re not generally fond of strangers, but the council mixes things up and gives the pack something to look at other than squirrels.”

“I meant to ask about that. Why are your dogs so…”

“Gigantic? Toothy? Generally a bit frightening?” Remus finished for him.

“Exactly.”

“First of all, they’re not dogs, they’re wolves. And second of all, they’re not really wolves, either.”

“Thanks, that clears it up.”

“They’re called direwolves,” Remus said with a laugh. “They’re like regular wolves, but bigger and stronger, and we train them with our warriors. That’s why our sigil is a direwolf. They’re sacred to our people.” He gestured to the flags bearing the shape of a snarling wolf’s head that hung from the eaves.

“Is that why your capital is called ‘Varghal’? It means ‘wolf den’, right?” Sirius smiled as Remus raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Hey, I know things.”

A secretive smile crossed his face for a half-second. “Yeah, that’s mostly why.”

“Remus! There you are, sweetheart.” Queen Hope glided toward them from the end of the table with a warm smile before Sirius could inquire further. “Hello, Sirius, how are you?”

Sirius bowed to her. “I’m doing well, Queen Hope. The feast is fantastic and your son is an excellent conversationalist.”

“Your father wants to speak with you for a moment,” Hope tugged on the edge of Remus’ cloak and inclined her head toward the other side of the room, where a crowd of noblemen were gathered. King Lyall stood out from the others—the was the strongest by far, and nearly the tallest.

“See you later?” Sirius asked as the queen began shepherding him away.

A soft blush, much different than the flickering hints of mischief from before, spread across Remus’ cheeks. “Sure.”

* * *

Whatever King Lyall wanted to talk about, it must have been important, because he kept Remus in the group for close to an hour. By the time he was done, Sirius was consoling James after a failed attempt at wooing a lovely woman with fiery red hair.

“She’s just _so beautiful_ ,” James mourned with his chin propped on his arms as he watched her chat with Dorcas. She was indeed quite pretty, and her dark green dress showed off some serious muscle on her arms. “And smart, too. Nobody’s ever insulted me so thoroughly in such a short amount of time.”

“I think we need to have a talk about your turn-ons, Jamie,” Sirius said sympathetically, patting him on the back. “Generally, when someone insults you, you don’t keep pursuing them.”

James groaned and thumped his forehead on the table with a muffled “ow”.

“Excuse me.” Someone tapped on Sirius’ shoulder. “Could I steal you for a dance?”

He grinned as James slowly raised his head again. “Absolutely, your highness.”

Remus paused and craned his neck to look down at James. “Oh, and James? I’m not betrothed, though I appreciate your interest.”

The mortified flush that spread beneath James’ dark skin was something Sirius would treasure for the rest of his life as he allowed himself to be pulled along by the hand. “Is this a good time to mention that I don’t know how to do any formal Northern dances?”

Remus flashed him a quick smile and grabbed his other wrist. “You’ll catch on.”

Dancing in Varghal was very different than dancing in Silvalith or Harindvar. Western dances were stiff and formal with careful steps and little rhythm, while the Eastern dances were mostly group-oriented or done by trained dancers who swayed and twirled to the music. Therefore, Sirius was not expecting to be grabbed by the elbow and spun around in a tight circle by a giggling little girl in a yellow dress, who passed him off to the old woman who had fixed his collar before disappearing into the mass of bodies.

He got the hang of the dance pretty quickly: partners swung each other in a few close spirals before joining up with someone new, and once in a while the group would clap along to the jaunty music or form a set of wide circles that ducked and wove within one another. Marlene and Dorcas whirled by him a few times, smiling freely and glimmering in the torchlight— _quite the pair_ , he thought for the second time that night.

Twice, he caught Remus’ eye and tried to spin towards him, but both times they were snagged by other partners before they could meet in the middle. This kind of dancing was pure, unbridled fun that rose to a fever pitch as the song began to crescendo. Sirius was a bit dizzy from all the turning until a familiar hand closed around his own and Remus’ amber eyes, alight with joy, locked onto his own.

They spun together, hands linked, dipping in and out in a wild pattern until the final note struck and Sirius found them chest-to-chest, breathless. They were both panting and a little bit sweaty; Remus’ pupils were blown wide and his mouth was turned up in a faint smile. The air between them hummed with something _wonderful_ —all it would take was a single step from either of them, and they would be kissing.

“Friends and countrymen!” King Lyall’s voice boomed out over the crowd, hushing all the dancers. Remus quickly stepped away and Sirius followed suit, squeezing his hand once before taking his seat by James. “It is a true honor to host you all for the annual council. This is a time for fostering unity and forming new friendships with one another, and I hope this week’s meetings will leave us all ushering in another year of peace and prosperity.”

The hall rang with cheers and applause as people mobbed the king for a handshake or a quick conversation, and it soon became clear that Remus would be occupied for the rest of the night. _Downsides of being a prince_ , Sirius thought wryly as he followed James out of the hall and past Marlene, who had fallen asleep on Dorcas’ shoulder.

“Oh, fuck,” Sirius blurted as he entered the night on James’ heels. “It’s _cold_.”

James quipped some muffled agreement from the depths of his coat, but Sirius couldn’t hear it over the rushing wind, even beneath all his clothes. They sprinted for the Eastern Coast lodge, shivering as they slammed the door shut and peeled away their outer layers. “Ugh, I don’t know how I’ll survive a week here.”

“With plenty of warm drinks and long sleeves, Jamie.” A huge yawn crackled Sirius’ jaw and he trudged toward his bed. The number of blankets and furs had seemed excessive during the daytime, but he was eternally grateful for them now as he pulled two nightshirts on and bundled himself up. He heard James getting ready for bed in the adjacent room and the familiar sound was enough to lull him to sleep, into a dreamland of secret smiles and watchful amber eyes.

* * *

Sirius awoke to a scratching at the door. The wind had increased in volume and the cold had leeched through the thick walls since he last remembered. He paused, staring at the ceiling, until the scratching came again, followed by a pitiful whine. _Dog?_ he thought sleepily. _Dog! Cold dog, poor baby_.

Before he could wake up enough to question his decision-making skills, he was out of bed and crossing the small room, where a soft thump against the wood broke his heart. He wouldn’t wish this blizzard on anyone, least of all an innocent dog.

The lock was stubborn, but it came free after a moment and he opened the door; the resulting blast of frigid air startled him into full consciousness. It was still pitch-black outside and he took a half-second to wonder at the time before a fuzzy shape darted past his legs and into the room. “What the—” Sirius slammed it closed, locking it tight and trying to get his bearings. “Um. Hello.”

A spray of cold water hit him full in the face as the beast shook itself and sat down, cocking its head at him. Sirius coughed once and wiped his face clean, still blinking sleep from his eyes.

“You’re not a dog, and not a wolf. You certainly look like one, though. Direwolf! That’s what you are!” The direwolf’s tail thumped against the ground. Sirius grinned and sat down, holding his hand out like he used to for strays. “C’mere, puppy! C’mere!”

The direwolf stood up again—shit, the thing was even bigger now that he was on its level—and stepped closer, tentatively sniffing Sirius’ fingers. It backed up when he reached out to pet it and growled low in its throat, a warning sound that sent ice down his spine. “Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. Nice puppy.”

He took a deep breath and opened his hand once more, then closed his eyes. “There, I can't grab at you if I can’t see you. Please don’t eat my hand.”

There was a moment of quiet, punctuated by the _click-clack_ of nails on the ground and gentle whuffs, before something cold and wet touched Sirius’ palm. He cracked one eye open and found the direwolf nearly face-to-face with him, its muzzle pressed against his hand as it stared at him. “Oh.” All the breath rushed from his lungs and he shakily smiled. The wolf nosed along his arm and pressed its head into his hand, rubbing back and forth.

“Do you want pats?” Sirius ran a hand down the wolf’s neck. “You’re a good boy, aren’t you? Good boy!” He reached up to scratch behind its ears and the wolf went boneless, flopping on top of him and sending them both to the floor. “Oof!”

Sirius lifted his head off the ground and nearly touched noses with the direwolf, whose chin was propped on his collarbones and pinned him to the ground. “How the hell did I get here?” he wondered aloud, letting his head fall back again. “As much as I enjoy being warm, you’re crushing my ribcage and I’d like to get some sleep.” The wolf blew out a long, damp breath into his face. “Ah. Thanks.”

Carefully, he reached for the general area of the wolf’s shoulders and pushed—by some miracle, it took the hint and stood up, then wandered to his bed and hopped up on it. “That wasn’t an invitation, but alright.” The direwolf stared down at him with dark golden eyes, blinking once in an _I dare you to move me_ kind of way. “I have the sinking suspicion you’re going to eat me when you look at me like that.”

He took a moment to sort out the tangled pile of blankets on the bed before settling in, but soon he was cuddled up beneath a mound of once-warm furs and trying to ignore the large carnivorous beast at the foot of the bed. As soon as his eyelids began to droop, the direwolf whined. _Is it a good idea to kick a gigantic predator off the bed? No._

It whined again and Sirius groaned. “What now?” He opened his eyes and didn’t bother struggling to sit up; all his resolve melted away as the wolf stared at him with the saddest puppy eyes he had ever seen. “Alright, come on.”

The direwolf shuffled forward and burrowed under the covers, kicking Sirius once or twice as it scooted up. It looked at him a bit suspiciously as it emerged on the opposite side of the bed, like it was waiting for him to change his mind. “Did you know you’re a sacred symbol here?” The wolf shifted a bit closer. “In my opinion, sacred symbols should be a little more considerate of what time they come calling on sleeping people.”

It wagged its tail and drew even closer. “You smell like wet dog and your fur is still damp from the snow. I’m not snuggling you.” Sirius was too tired to deal with overgrown puppies tonight, so he turned on his side and closed his eyes.

The direwolf pawed at his shoulder and nearly tipped him over the side of the bed. “Stop that.”

Another paw. “Stop it, I’m trying to sleep!”

Apparently, the wolf’s thin shred of patience ran out, because the next thing Sirius felt was a freezing cold nose pressing against the back of his neck. “Hey!”

“Sirius?” James’ groggy voice made them both go stock-still. “Who’re you talking to?”

“A direwolf broke into my room, Jamie, and now it’s trying to cuddle me. Possibly eat me. Go back to sleep.”

“Right then, sweet dreams.” James wandered back through the doorway to his bedroom and closed the door once more. Chances were, he wouldn’t remember a thing in the morning.

Sirius rolled onto his back and turned his head to look at the direwolf. “You shouldn’t be here when morning comes. I’m sure your warrior friends are going to miss you, though you don’t seem like much of a fighter.”

Gingerly, without breaking eye contact, the wolf laid its nose on Sirius’ shoulder. He smiled and gave it another scratch behind its tawny ears, then closed his eyes and let his breathing even out to match the wolf’s steady huffs. Within a few minutes, he was asleep.

* * *

The direwolf was gone when Sirius woke, though he had no idea how it had gotten out. The only evidence that it existed at all was a handful of tan-and-white fur scattered along the sheets and Sirius’ outer nightshirt. “Weird,” he muttered under his breath as he dug around in his rucksack for regular clothing.

Breakfast was a quick affair of berries and salted meats alongside a mug of hot chocolate that Sirius savored for nearly ten minutes. It wasn’t spiced like the kind they drank on the Eastern Coast, but rather dark and smooth as it coated his tongue. The clock on the wall finally motivated him to leave the comfort of the lodge and head out into the village, where he made a beeline for the armory.

“Jamie, you in there?” he called as he walked around the side of the building.

“Back here!”

Sirius followed the voice and found James taking careful aim at a target on the other side of a large arena. “Your first meeting is in fifteen minutes.”

“I know.”

“You should get going soon.”

“I will.”

“ _James_.”

The arrow embedded itself next to several of its kin and James drew another without sparing a glance at Sirius. “I’m always on time, don’t worry. Look, this bow has a different curve than mine, so it’s got more power over less distance. See how well the arrows stick? It’s really beautiful work.”

“I’m sure it is. Unless you want me to give it a whirl, you should go to your meeting.”

James lowered the bow and looked at him in horror. “If you even _breathe_ on this masterpiece, I will maim you.”

“That’s what I thought. Come on, you can ogle the curve of the bow later.” He had to practically drag James away from the armory—honestly, the boy was hopeless when it came to archery, Sirius couldn’t take him anywhere—and they trudged toward the meeting tent and tried to ignore the snow that threatened to freeze their toes off. “I’m going to go find Pete. We’ll be in the main hall when you’re done.”

As Fleamont and Euphemia’s ward, he remained under their guardianship, but he still had to stay outside whenever an important meeting called for the councilmembers. The only real downside to being friends with the royal children of nearly every country on the continent was that they were required to sit in those same meetings without him.

“Sirius! Hey!” _Speak of the devil_.

“Pete!” Sirius opened his arms for a tight hug. “How’ve you been? We couldn’t find you yesterday before the feast.”

Peter flushed and chewed at his lip. “I lost track of time, sorry. I just started this amazing new book that I just couldn’t put down and—oh! You haven’t met Lily, have you?”

“Lily?”

“She was at the party last night, hang on." Peter stuck his head into the blacksmith’s shop. “Lily! Do you have a second?”

“What’s up, Pete?” Sirius just barely managed to contain his shock as the girl who had so utterly rejected James at the party emerged, holding an axe in one hand and a whetting stone in the other. “Oh, hello, aren’t you friends with the idiot who hit on me last night?”

“I am, yeah.” Sirius extended a hand to her. “I’m Sirius, and the idiot was James. You really broke his heart.”

Lily shook his hand and gave him a suspicious look. “I’m not going to apologize.”

“I didn’t expect you to. James needs a little humbling now and then, and I can only do so much.”

Peter beamed at them. “Sirius, Lily is the best board game player I’ve ever met.”

“Is that true?” Sirius raised an eyebrow at the redhead. “I take that as a personal challenge.”

“We’ll just have to see, won’t we?” Lily sheathed her axe at her hip and started walking toward the main hall. “Come on, you two, I’ve got a title to win.”

* * *

In less than two hours, Lily cemented her place as one of Sirius’ favorite people. She was funny, smart, and kicked their asses at every single game they played until he finally gave in and started placing his pieces with his eyes closed in the hope that a higher power would intervene just _once_.

“Lily?” James’ voice cracked horribly from the doorway. “Wha—but you’re—why are you here?”

“Is that an existential question or a literal one?” she asked without looking up from the board. “Currently, I’m here to crush your brother at checkers.”

“It's witchcraft,” Sirius groaned as she took his last piece.

“It's _skill_ ,” she shot back with a wicked grin. “I believe you owe me something, good sir.”

He heaved a sigh and climbed on the tabletop. “Lily Evans is the most wonderful, talented, and badass person to ever grace this land.”

Peter clapped politely from his seat. “A true statement if I’ve ever heard one.”

“Thanks for the victory, boys. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have actual work to do.” Lily ruffled Peter’s hair and strolled out of the hall, brushing past James as she went without a backward glance.

“That’s the love of my life right there. She could murder me with that axe and I’d thank her,” James said faintly as soon as she was out of earshot.

“Keep bothering her and you might get your wish,” Marlene teased, plopping herself down at the game table. “Pete, roll it back, would you?”

The dice game, along with several others, stayed active for much of the day as the four royals ducked in and out of meetings. Sirius had never been to a council before, but he could tell it took effort for them to make time in between important peace talks; more than once, Dorcas slouched low in her seat to avoid the sightline of another official, and on one memorable occasion James fully hid under the table when his father entered the room.

“We’ve got defined times to talk about these things,” he defended once Fleamont had left. “Twenty minutes of game time isn’t going to plunge the continent into war.”

The downtime between councils quickly became Sirius’ favorite part of the day; whether he was sandwiched next to Remus around a game of checkers or mock-dueling Marlene in the arena behind the armory, he felt the bonds of friendship blossoming between the seven of them with each new inside joke and victory.

He often forgot that Lily, the oldest of their group, was only twenty-three; Peter, the youngest, had just turned twenty-one a month prior. They acted like they were sixteen again, racing around the village in a pack and dredging up fun wherever they went. According to James, the annual council was usually a solemn event for discussing heavy issues without a lot of outside interaction; watching the tension melt away from everyone’s faces warmed Sirius from the inside out.

On the fifth day of the council, the royal children were only allowed to attend the morning meetings, which left their entire afternoon open. “I have an idea,” Remus said as soon as they met up outside the main hall. He was practically bouncing with anticipation as he led them to the outskirts of the town, where a rickety old shed wobbled in the rushing wind. “I need one shoe from each of you.”

Had anyone else taken him into the frozen wilderness and borrowed a shoe, Sirius would have laughed in their faces; for Remus, however, all his logic went flying out the window. It was almost embarrassing how fast his left boot came off.

“What’s he doing in there?” Dorcas asked as she balanced on one leg and rubbed feeling back into her stocking-clad foot. “I’ll lose my poor toes if he takes much longer.”

“I can hear you!”

“Good! Give me my shoe!”

Remus appeared a moment later with a collection of strange boots hanging off his arms. “I have something better, you ungrateful hellion.”

“Are these…knife shoes?” Marlene took her pair and squinted at the blades someone had welded to the soles.

“These are ice skates. Don’t put them on now!” He shooed Sirius’ hand away. “We have a bit of a walk first.”

‘A bit of a walk’ turned out to be a twenty-minute trek through the forest that left them all simultaneously sweaty and numb, but it was worth it when they broke through a dense patch of bushes.

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Lily breathed as a wide lake came into view.

The lake was unlike anything Sirius had ever seen. Patches of snow rested on the thick ice and gleamed in the afternoon sun, making the whole thing shine. “Alright, you can put them on now.” Remus was already lacing up his skates, looking more excited than Sirius had seen yet.

The skates fit differently than normal shoes and it was a real struggle to get them on properly; a quick glance around told him that he was not the only one having issues. Still, Sirius was the first to get his on and stepped onto the ice, only to fall flat on his back.

“Maybe you should try hanging onto a branch first,” Remus called from further out, sounding far too amused. “It’s easy once you get the hang of it.”

Sirius wobbled to his feet, feeling for all the world like a newborn deer taking its first steps. His left skate slid straight out from under him and he clutched the bough of a low-hanging tree for dear life with an embarrassing yelp. Ahead of him, Remus was gliding along the ice in smooth curves like he had been born for it.

 _Step, plant, push_. _Easy enough_. Sirius planted his right foot and pushed off with his left, skidding forward. A surprised laugh bubbled out of his chest. “I did it!”

“How?” James grumbled to his left, where he was half-dangling off a branch.

“You step, plant your foot, and then push off with the other.” Sirius let go of the branch and moving towards the center of the lake. His momentum carried him forward without a lot of extra pushing, and soon he was headed straight for Remus. “Wait, shit, I don’t know how to stop!”

Remus’ eyes widened a half-second before Sirius slammed into him, sending them both to the ice with a clatter. “Ow,” he groaned beneath him.

“Sorry.” He tried to stand up again, but only succeeded in falling over again and elbowing Remus in the kidney, making them both wince.

“Stop, stop moving before you break something.” Remus grabbed his shoulders and pushed him onto the ice, then stood in one graceful step and hauled him up by the collar. “For future reference, you turn your skates sharply to stop, alright? Here, hold on to me and I’ll show you.”

Sirius listed to the side and gripped the hollow of Remus’ elbow for support. “Ice is a lot harder than dirt.”

“I won’t let you fall.”

A chord struck deep in Sirius’ chest and he looked up from his feet. Remus watched him steadily as they skated along the pale blue ice that seemed to glow from underneath. _I could lean in right now and kiss him. It wouldn’t take much. I’ll risk falling for that_.

“Remus?” Lily’s palpable frustration cut through the whirring in his head. Their moment melted away. “We could use a hand.”

 _Timing, Lily_. Remus released his forearms and skated over to Lily and James, who had somehow managed to lock their skates together when they fell; after taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Sirius made his way back to the shore and sat down heavily in the snow with a barely-concealed huff of annoyance.

“Hey, guys?” Marlene stopped in front of the group and laced her fingers with Dorcas’. “We have an announcement to make. Everyone will know at dinner, but we wanted to tell you first.”

“We’re engaged!” Dorcas beamed and held up her arm, where a thin silver bracelet adorned her wrist. Marlene showed an identical one in gold.

Sirius’ jaw dropped and Lily shrieked as James tried to stand up, momentarily forgetting their predicament and dragging her backwards along the ice in his excitement. “You’re joking,” Peter gasped. “Marlene, you didn’t tell me that!”

“It was a surprise!” Marlene laughed as Peter nearly tackled her.

“Congratulations!” Remus said, wrapping Dorcas in a tight hug. “How long?”

“Two weeks.” Dorcas looked over at her girlfriend— _no, her fiancée_ , Sirius corrected himself—with soft, dreamy eyes. “Our parents approved it a while ago, but we figured now was as good a time as any to let you all know.”

“That is so sweet,” James sniffled as Lily took off her skates entirely to pull both women in for a group hug. Sirius joined them a moment later, followed by Remus and Peter, and finally James who also removed his skates so he wouldn’t bowl them over. They fell over anyway, of course, landing in a snowdrift on the shore in a tangle of limbs and laughter. Sirius wanted to bottle the feeling of laying side-by-side with his best friends as they giggled like twelve-year-olds and they escaped their looming responsibilities for one perfect afternoon.

There, out on the frozen lake, nobody cared who ran what country, or what the politicians were saying, or what the future would look like. They could just be together, letting seven hearts beat as one.

* * *

That night, Sirius awoke to the sound of screaming.

He was on his feet in an instant, letting the shock of nighttime cold wake him fully as he pulled on the nearest clothes he could reach and buckled his sword around his waist before throwing the door between rooms open. “James! James, get up!”

“I’m up, but I don’t know where Mum and Dad are.” James’ face was gray with fear as he ran in from the adjacent room, an arrow already nocked in his bow. The acrid smell of smoke burned Sirius’ nose as he forced his own door open and barely avoided the huge hooves of a terrified horse as it bolted for the woods.

“Where would they go?” he asked over the noise, drawing his sword. Flames licked the huge wooden wall that surrounded the front of the city and sent huge plumes into the cool air; the men and wolves that ran along the top had become smudges of shadow in the chaos.

“I don’t know, I heard wood splintering and—” James swung around suddenly and sent his arrow into the neck of a black-clad man with a dagger who was chasing down a young woman. Sirius took his place at James’ back on instinct—they had never fought in an actual battle before, but he knew where he needed to be.

“I don’t see them anywhere.” Sirius scanned the crowd and knocked an arrow aside with the flat of his sword. He could taste the bitter adrenaline on his tongue and teeth as it raced through his veins.

The gate shuddered and groaned as more raiders pour through the bottleneck, roaring incoherent battle cries. A hand closed around Sirius’ bicep and he whirled around, already bringing his sword down in a deadly arc, only for it to be blocked by another blade. “You have to leave right now!” Remus shouted, lowering his sword. His face was smeared with ash and fear.

“We have to find my parents!” James argued, picking off another raider on the wall.

Cold fear oozed down Sirius’ spine. “Where are the others?”

“In a secret passage in the woodpile. Marlene and Dorcas couldn’t find their parents, either.” Remus sheathed his sword and grabbed James’ elbow, tugging them both toward a mound by the edge of the woods.

 _That’s no coincidence_ , Sirius thought. _Three sets of royals going missing in the heat of an ambush?_

He knew he only had two options: he could take James and look for the people who had protected him in his hour of greatest need, possibly getting them all killed in the process, or he could protect his newfound friends as they fled a doomed city. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes.

“Let go of me!” James snarled as Sirius grabbed him around the waist and hauled him toward the passage. Remus ran ahead and held the cover aside, revealing Lily, Peter, Marlene, and Dorcas huddled together in the dark. “Sirius, get the fuck off me!”

“Follow the passage and take a left at the first fork,” Remus ordered, chancing a look over his shoulder as he pushed them all back. “It’ll take a day or two, but you’ll end up at the border to the Middle Kingdom. Lily, can you take it from there?”

“I can.” Lily’s grip tightened on her axe.

“Good.”

Horrible understanding seized Sirius’ heart and he grabbed Remus’ hand. “You’re not coming with us?”

Remus looked down at their hands, then up at Sirius’ face. “This is my home. I can’t just—”

“Remus!” All seven of them jumped as King Lyall emerged from the fray, his sword drawn and bloody. “What are you still doing here? Take them to safety!”

“What?” Remus dropped Sirius’ hand and rocked back like he’d been hit. “I’m staying here to fight.”

“No, you need to lead them out.”

“I won't abandon abandon my people!" he said, his voice breaking. “Da, please, I won’t leave you.”

“You must.” Lyall reached forward and cupped Remus’ cheek. “I am so proud of you. Fight hard. Be brave.” Noise erupted behind him as the gate crashed down in a fiery blaze and raiders flooded into the city.

“Da, you can’t—” Remus’ plea cut off as Lyall lifted his sword and, with a last look to his son, charged into the fray.

After a few thundering heartbeats of silence, Dorcas reached out and touched Remus’ arm. “We need to go.”

He looked down at them, his beautiful amber eyes drowning in terror and despair, then back at Varghal. _He’s going to stay_ , Sirius thought. _He’s going to stay and he’s going to die._ Remus took a deep, shaking breath and turned around, pushing the seven of them into the tunnel.

Sirius could still hear the direwolves howling as the night enveloped them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edits for this chapter took me a lot longer than I thought, so sorry for the delay! Let me know what you thought of it--comments and kudos keep the motivation flowing!
> 
> Songs for Chapter 1:  
> \- Kingdom Dance (Tangled soundtrack) for Remus and Sirius' dance  
> \- Misty Mountains (Hobbit soundtrack) for the raid
> 
> Come talk to me on tumblr at @wayward-demigod-witch


	4. Running With No Place to Land

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one, folks. The sheer number of people who came and talked with me in the comments about Lily's axe sparked immense amounts of joy!
> 
> TW for minor character death

No one spoke for a long, long time. Sirius couldn’t get the scent of the burning wall out of his nose, even after peeling off his heavy coat and sweating so much he nearly drowned in it. James’ breathing finally steadied after an hour, maybe two—it was hard to tell in the pitch blackness of the tunnel. Marlene and Dorcas whispered to each other now and then, little check-ins that made Sirius’ heart ache at their unquestioned love. Had it only been that afternoon that they went ice skating?

Remus walked silently ahead of the group, leading them through with an air of ‘speak and you die’ that was completely incomprehensible to Sirius. He had only known Remus for five days, during which he had been funny, sweet, and mischievous; this frosty, shut-down prince was like a whole different person.

 _His home was just attacked_ , Sirius reminded himself. _He lost everything_.

“We’ll settle down here for the night," Remus said at last. Marlene immediately slid to the ground with a slow sigh and began prying her left boot off. “I wouldn’t do that unless you want to lose a few toes to frostbite.”

Marlene and Peter shared a worried glance, but she put the boot on again. The ring of metal on metal echoed around the low ceiling as they unloaded their weapons from their backs and hips, forming a decent pile of sharp objects in the middle of the group. _Axe, bow, bow, spear, sword, sword, sword, sword, knives_ , Sirius counted internally as he squinted in the low light of the torch on the wall. _At least we came prepared_.

“We don’t have any money,” Lily pointed out in a quiet voice. “Or food, or clothes, or anything to start a fire with.”

Remus bundled his coat up and curled onto his side, facing away from the rest of them. There was visible tension in every line of his body. “We’ll return to Varghal tomorrow, once everything has calmed down and it’s safe.”

Dorcas bit her lip. “Remus, I’m not sure—”

“ _Don’t_.” Sirius flinched at his tone; even the unsettling monotony from before was better than that hoarse, broken snap. “Just—just don’t.”

They spent the rest of the night—morning? Sirius still didn’t know—in silence. He slept fitfully, in short bursts that always ended in flames and shouting. James, the heaviest sleeper he knew, was awake every time he opened his eyes, propped against the tunnel wall and leaning into his side. Eventually, Sirius gave in and stayed up with him.

How could it all have gone so wrong? The annual council was a time for peace among the nations, where they could settle their differences and discuss important issues in a civil manner. It was not a time to show off wealth or status, and especially not one for violence. Seventy years had passed since the last war; it wasn’t likely that the council would ignore a powerful raiding party with the potential to kidnap the royals.

 _Or kill them_.

Sirius took a shallow breath and shook his head to banish the thought. No. He couldn’t imagine that. Euphemia and Fleamont had to be alive, because he didn’t know what he would do if they were gone forever.

“What are you thinking about?” James asked, his voice barely above a murmur.

“It’s cold,” Sirius said. _Not entirely a lie_. “My hands are freezing.”

“Here.” There was a shuffle next to him, and a warm weight settled onto his shoulders. “Better?”

“You need this, Jamie, I have my own coat.”

“Just take it, it’s fine.”

Sirius sighed and wrapped his arm around James’ back, pulling him under the coat as well. “There, now we can both be warm.”

After a heartbeat, James let out a long, trembling exhale that hitched somewhere in his throat. “I’m scared,” he whispered. “I wish I knew where they were.”

“Me, too. I’m not sorry I pulled you out of there.”

“I know. I’m not happy that you did, but…thank you.”

“That’s what I’m here for.” Sirius tightened his hold and pressed his head to James’ temple. “You’re my best friend, James. It’s my job to keep you safe.”

James turned so their foreheads were touching, a grounding anchor in the upside-down world they were suddenly living in. “Whatever happens after this, we do it together, alright? We’re a team.”

Sirius had a sinking suspicion that getting out of Frystmark would not be their greatest challenge, that this was only the beginning of the journey. From the rapid pulse of James’ heartbeat and the heaviness in his voice, he knew he felt the same. “A team.”

They sat in the darkness together for a while after that, but it didn’t take long for the others to wake or simply give up on faking sleep. “Everyone ready?” Remus asked. Various murmurs of assent answered him, and then they were off again.

Based on the sun’s position and Sirius’ estimation, it was mid-afternoon when they emerged in the middle of the snow-covered forest and began moving south along the bank of a wide, frothing river. He had forgotten how loud the woods were; squirrels and birds chirruped at one another and the trees creaked in the wind, forming gentle music with the _hush-rush-hush_ of the water.

“What’s that?” Peter asked, pointing to a spiral of black smoke ahead. Momentary fear spiked in Sirius’ blood before he realized that it was coming from a river-rock chimney on the other side of the hill.

“It’s a village called Hemgard. We can get food and proper sleep there,” Remus said flatly.

“We still don’t have money for room and board,” Lily piped up, gesturing to her empty pockets. “And none of you really look like royals, to be honest.”

Sirius looked down at his own dirt-streaked, mismatched clothes and the stripes of charcoal on his sleeves where he had tried to scrub ashes from his face. Now that he was actually paying attention, they would all likely be mistaken for a band of heavily armed ragamuffins wandering about.

_Ragamuffins…_

If Sirius had a knack for one thing in life besides being a damn good friend, he could boost a group’s mood like his life depended on it. He liked to think it was because of his endless supply of charisma and natural flair for the dramatic, but honestly it came down to the ability to throw away any and all dignity at the drop of a hat.

Or, in this case, the drop of a tambourine.

“Hey, Marlene?” he called as the beginnings of a plan formed in his head. “How’s Bluebell doing these days?”

“Bluebell?” Marlene cocked her head, but a moment later her face brightened in understanding. The heavy, bruise-colored bags under her eyes softened and a familiar troublemaking spark emerged. “Oh, I think she’s doing splendidly. How’s Padfoot, that dashing rapscallion?”

“Have they gone mad?” Lily muttered to Dorcas, who rolled her eyes.

“Padfoot has an excellent idea of how to make some money today, if Bluebell would be so kind as to be a part of his endeavors,” Sirius said, slinging one arm over Marlene’s shoulders and forcing a cheerful smile onto his face. It was time to end this melancholy cloud that hung over them all. “He would be hopeless without his partner.”

“He’d be hopeless either way,” James called behind them with a light laugh.

Peter groaned. “As long as you don’t do the bit about the fishmonger’s kid, I’ll be fine.”

A wicked smile spread across Sirius’ face. “Why not?”

“It’s filthy!”

“I know, isn’t it wonderful?”

“Hang on, you’re not talking about ‘The Fishmonger’s Daughter’, are you?” Remus asked, finally turning to face them.

There was a beat of surprised silence before Marlene, the absolute angel, saved the day. “That’s the one!”

“Oh, that one’s _atrocious_.” Remus’ cold shoulder thawed into a thoughtful look. “It’s the perfect cover.”

“Not you, too!” Peter protested.

* * *

Miracle of miracles, the innkeeper owned a spare lute _and_ a tambourine. The tavern was packed with people—Sirius would have been surprised if he wasn’t so busy being grateful for more chances at earning a handful of coins. “The stage is rather small, dear Padfoot, but I believe it will suffice,” Marlene sighed, tuning the lute by ear. _Side effects of years of royal music training_ , she had told him when they first began this little venture. _I suppose it has its perks after all_.

Sirius cleared his throat loudly and the chatter quieted. “Oh, fishmonger, oh fishmonger, come quell your daughter’s hunger,” he sang smoothly, feeling the familiar rhythm set in. It was indeed a truly filthy song, but every time they played it, the audience ate it up.

His voice grew stronger as the song went on into the verses he and Marlene had invented, shaking off the rust from disuse and falling back into Padfoot, the roguish bard whose tambourine skills were something of a legend among the farming towns of Tidoras. They couldn’t play on the Eastern Coast mainland, unfortunately—he was too well-known there and the nation was too small to be able to disappear among the crowds. Marlene, however, could easily get away with pretending to be a bard anywhere but the towns immediately outside of her court, and they took shameless advantage of that during every visit.

Soon, it was hard to hear them over the off-key singing and clapping of the crowd, who had begun tossing small coins into a plate Sirius took from a nearby table. At this rate, they would only need to do one or two more songs to buy a cheap lunch and a single room for the afternoon. By the time Marlene struck the final chord to raucous applause, even Peter looked amused at their table in the back. Dorcas stood on her seat to cheer for her fiancée, who took an extravagant bow and soaked up the applause like a sponge.

“Any requests?” Sirius shouted over the noise, shaking his tambourine to get everyone’s attention.

A chorus of muddled suggestions erupted from the patrons, but one voice came through loud and clear. “Barrett’s Privateers, if you think you can do it!” Lily hollered with a wide smile as she stood on her bench. It was comforting to see her in a good mood again.

“For the lovely lady in the back!” Marlene responded, striking up the first notes. “Oh, a letter of marque came from the king to the scummiest vessel I’ve ever seen!”

As much as Sirius loved being the center of attention, Marlene had a penchant for sea shanties that he was only too happy to indulge. The energy of the room reached a new height when she stepped up onto a table, dancing around plates and goblets to the cheers of the patrons. Their table burst into whoops as she sang her heart out and Sirius caught Remus’ eye, winking once before joining her on her perch.

“The last of Barrett’s privateers!” Marlene shouted along with a good portion of the tavern. When she hopped down off the table and followed Sirius to their booth, their collection plates were heavy with coins.

“You absolute fucking legends!” James crowed, hugging them both. “I love it when you do that.”

“Lily, how did you know Barrett’s Privateers?” Marlene asked as she slid onto Dorcas’ lap and planted a large kiss to her cheek.

“It’s originally from Southern Frystmark, and my family lives near the border.” Lily scooted aside so Peter could give their orders to the innkeeper and reserve a room upstairs. “It’s really popular around here.”

“You don’t say,” Sirius said, chancing a quick look at Remus. He certainly seemed to be in better spirits after hearing a song classic to his home. “Well, whatever the reason, thank you for earning us a grand total of… nine silver coins and twelve coppers! _You_ are the real legend here.”

“I don’t know, your tambourine skills were quite impressive,” Lily teased, flicking a crumb at him. “Someone should help Peter before he drops all our drinks on himself.”

“I’ll get him.” Dorcas lifted Marlene off her lap, stretched, and went to save their friend.

“So how long has that been happening?” Remus asked, gesturing vaguely at Sirius and Marlene. “Seems a bit strange for two royals to moonlight as bards.”

“I’m not royal,” Sirius corrected on instinct. “Marlene, James, and I were adventuring in a little mining town near Courlion and found ourselves a few coins short of dinner, so she grabbed a lute, I grabbed a tambourine, and James hid in the corner until it was all over.”

“I was sixteen and mortally embarrassed!” James defended. “My friends had just hopped up on a table and started belting out swear words at the top of their lungs! What was I supposed to do?”

“Join in?” Lily snorted as she took a mug of beer from Peter. “Pete, you’re a lifesaver. No offense, Remus, but your city’s got terrible ale.”

“Oh, I am well aware,” Remus said, lifting his own in a toast. “It seems you need to be gigantic and burly to properly enjoy it.”

A pretty waitress returned to their table with deep bowls of soup and a flirtatious wink for James, who flushed tomato-red to the tips of his ears until Sirius reached over and smacked him with a spoon. “If you keep staring, I’ll eat your soup.”

He didn’t really register how hungry he was until he took a sip of watered-down stew—as soon as the first blooms of warmth filled his chest and the tang of salt sharpened his vision, he began shoveling it into his mouth with reckless abandon. He only glanced up once and was pleased to see that everyone else had abandoned any sense of propriety to eat in total silence.

“Is anyone else incredibly tired?” Peter asked as he wiped his mouth with the cuff of his sleeve.

Dorcas yawned so loud her jaw popped and cuddled up against Remus’ side. “I’m going to sleep right here, ladies and gents. Wake me when there’s more soup.”

“Alright, everyone, get up,” Lily pushed her chair back and sighed heavily before standing, as if it took all of her concentration to move. “We didn’t rent a room for nothing.”

“I hope the stew wasn’t laced with something,” James muttered as he lazily slung his bow and quiver over his shoulder. “I’d feel really stupid if I died from eating poison soup.”

“None of us slept last night,” Sirius pointed out as they trouped up the rickety stairs and tumbled into their single room. “Huh. For the amount we paid for this, I was expecting worse.”

The room was tiny and devastatingly gray, but the mattress seemed soft enough as Lily and Dorcas dragged it onto the floor and there was a cute little window on the far wall that looked out over the town’s northern boundary. All seven of them stripped off their heavy coats and layered them into a large patchwork blanket before snuggling underneath in a pile. Sirius ended up with James on his right, Peter splayed across his legs, and Remus tucked beneath his left arm; he had never fallen asleep so fast in his life.

* * *

For the second time in twenty-four hours, Sirius woke up to the sound of screams. Except this time, he wasn’t alone; James’ hand smacked him in the face as he scrambled to his feet, upending Dorcas and nearly stomping on Peter as they were all dragged from unconsciousness rather abruptly.

“The fuck’s going on?” Marlene shook her head hard to clear away any lingering sleepiness and grabbed her longsword off the bedframe.

“I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling it’s for us. Hang on a moment.” Sirius opened the door and tiptoed down the staircase, peeking around the railing at the tavern floor. _Fuck_. The door was hanging off one and half hinges and four people stood at the bar, their swords clearly visible beneath long black cloaks. Masks covered the lower part of their faces, but Sirius could tell they were scanning the room.

“Where are they?” one growled at the innkeeper. “Where are the royals?”

“What royals?” the poor man asked from the floor. His kind face was white with fear. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Have you seen anyone dressed in finery lately? Has anyone paid in large coins?”

“No, nobody! Please, they aren’t here!”

“Stop asking stupid questions,” one of the raiders hissed. She crouched down to the innkeeper’s level and drew a long, thin knife. Her voice sounded familiar, though Sirius couldn’t quite place it. “They would have been in a group of seven, around the age of twenty. Ring any bells?”

The innkeeper swallowed heavily as the knife’s tip pressed to his throat. “There—there was a group that came in earlier. Two bards and their friends. They rented a room upstairs for the afternoon.”

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” the raider said, sickly sweet. She stood and landed a hard kick to the innkeeper’s ribs, then turned to her companions. “Find them.”

“ _Shit_ ,” Sirius muttered, racing back up the stairs. He locked the door behind him and began pushing the poor excuse for a desk in front of it.

“What’s wrong?” James asked as he picked up the other side and braced it beneath the doorknob.

“The raiders are back, and they’re here to kill us. Or capture us. Probably kill us. Either way, we should leave.”

“How well can everyone climb?” Marlene asked, eyeballing the distance to the ground from their window.

“Well enough.” Peter shoved it open with his shoulder and swung a leg over the edge. “Come on!”

Thankfully, the tavern had relatively low ceilings and they had rented a cheap second-floor room, so the drop was only about fifteen feet. “I really hate heights,” Lily groaned as she grabbed the windowsill after James reached the ground.

“Don’t worry, I’ll catch you,” he called up to her.

“I’ll pass.” Lily clambered down the side of the building with Dorcas hot on her heels. There was a loud crash from the room as the raiders broke through Sirius’ barricade and Dorcas fell the last eight feet or so, landing with a beautiful somersault.

“That was close,” she panted as she dusted herself off and tightened the buckle that kept her spear on her back.

“How did you do that?”

“I learned how to fall off a horse when I was five.” Dorcas shrugged. “Not much different from coming down off a windowsill, really. At least the building isn’t moving.”

“Down there!” a harsh voice shouted from above.

“Shit,” Peter muttered. “Remus, are we close to the border?”

“I don’t think that’s going to stop them,” Remus snapped as they took off at a sprint through the town square. “We’re not far, but—”

A gloved hand shot out of a shadowed alcove in the shop they were passing and grabbed Marlene; she shrieked once, then fell silent as the edge of a knife pressed against her windpipe. “Shhh,” the raider crooned as he pulled her tight to his chest. She tried to swing her sword but froze when a thin line of blood trickled down her neck. “Stand down, children, unless you want to see her pretty throat open up.”

“Heads up,” James warned as the rest of the raiders appeared from the side streets. The six of them closed ranks, forming a loose circle with their backs to one another. Sirius drew his sword, but he kept his eyes steadily on Marlene. _You’ll be okay, you’ll be okay, you’ll be okay_ , he chanted in his head.

“Honey, are you alright?” Dorcas asked to his left. When Marlene tried to nod, the man grabbed her golden curls and yanked her head back further. Dorcas drew her bow, leveling an arrow at the raider’s face: there was no way she could get a clear shot, but the threat was obvious enough. “Let her go _now_.”

“King Riddle sends his regards,” the raider murmured into Marlene’s ear, angling his knife higher against her pulse point.

“And I send him mine,” she hissed. In one fluid motion, she stomped on his foot, twisted to the side, and jammed her free arm upward. The man released her instinctively with a sharp, shocked gasp and she stumbled backwards as he sank to the ground, frantically grabbing at the small blade embedded in his upper ribcage.

“You alright?” Sirius readjusted his grip on the hilt of his sword as she rejoined their group.

“Never better.”

James’ bow creaked as he aimed for the nearest opponent. “Leave us alone or we’ll kill you all.”

The female raider laughed from the other side of the circle, a mad cackle that made Sirius nauseous. “Silly boy, you don’t know how to kill. You’ll have to do better than that if you want to play with the big kids.”

“You’re outnumbered seven to three. There’s no way you’ll make it out of here,” Peter said. One of the raiders shifted their weight and Sirius tensed, preparing to strike. It didn’t matter that he had never killed anyone before—he knew he would do it if it came down to protecting his friends.

The woman giggled, but she slid her knife back into the depths of her cloak. After a brief moment’s hesitation, the others followed suit. “Oh, this will be fun,” she leered, sounding smug even while admitting defeat. “Sleep with one eye open, bitty babies, or you’ll lose them both.”

With a final too-wide grin, she turned on her heel and all but sauntered into the gathering evening with her companions close behind. Sirius remained on high alert until they were all out of sight, but Dorcas moved across their defensive circle as soon as the raiders turned around and engulfed her fiancée in a tight hug. “How’s your neck, love?”

“It’s just a scratch,” Marlene assured her, accepting a quick kiss on the forehead with a smile.

Remus walked over to the body and retrieved the knife with a slight grimace. “Do you still want this?”

Marlene went a little green around the gills when she saw it, but nodded and tucked it back into her wrist guard after wiping the blood off on her dress. “Who knows? It might come in handy again.”

Peter waved a hand at the crumpled man in the doorway. “What do we do about…”

“We can’t just leave him there,” James sighed. “Does anyone want to help me get him into the woods or something?”

“I’ve got the feet.” Sirius sheathed his sword and trudged to the alcove, locking his hands around the man’s ankles. _Don’t think about the body, don’t think about the body, don’t think about the body_. “Ugh, he’s heavy.”

“Well, he’s dead,” James grunted as he lifted the shoulders. “C’mon, this way.”

Sirius didn’t waste time being respectful as they hauled the man into the forest—it was hard to feel bad for someone who had tried to slit Marlene’s throat. They set him in the lee of a large rock and were just about to head back when a flash of emerald green caught his eye. “Hang on a second, Jamie.”

“What’s wrong? Is he still alive?”

“No, Marlene got him good.” Sirius tugged at the patch until it ripped free. “Have a look at this.”

James frowned, then inhaled sharply. “Oh, _shit_. This is bad.”

“I know.”

“I mean, _really_ bad. As in, possibly-starting-a-war bad.”

“Silvalith’s representatives didn’t act weird at the meetings, right?” A silver snake stood out against the tattered edges where Sirius had torn it from the man’s shirt. “They don’t give out sigil badges to just anyone.”

James shook his head and handed the badge back. “No, they don’t. I would guess that these guys are some sort of official assassins.”

“Which means the raiders…”

“Were probably soldiers, yeah.”

“Fuck.”

James snorted without humor, running a hand through his hair. “Everything just got a lot more complicated. We should let the others know.”

“Let the others know what?” Lily asked as she crested the hill. “You’ve been up here for a while. We got worried.”

“I found this on the guy’s shirt,” Sirius said, passing her the sigil. “Look familiar?”

“Silvalith,” she muttered, tracing the snake’s curve. “So they sent assassins after us? Why?”

“Not just assassins.” Sirius cast James a warning look, but James didn’t stop. “They were dressed the same as the raiders from last night. We think they might have been Silval soldiers.”

“I don’t understand,” Peter murmured. “I mean, my mum said the northern border of Tidoras has been chaotic lately, but those were conflicts between farmers and patrols from Silvalith. Why would they do something like this?”

“Frankly, I don’t give a fuck about their motives,” Remus said suddenly as he glared at the badge. If looks could kill, it would be little more than a pile of thread. “Silvalith just declared war on my country. I have to go make sure my family is safe.”

“But we’re not at the border yet,” Sirius protested. He had seen the number of black-clad soldiers that overwhelmed the city—didn’t Remus understand that there was only a slim chance Varghal was still standing? “We’ll be safer as a group.”

Lily laid a hand on his arm and her message was clear: _d_ _on’t_. “Remus, I can take them the rest of the way to the Middle Kingdom. If you need to find us again, we’ll be in a town called Bailey.”

“Thank you.” Remus paused for a second and looked at each of them in turn, suddenly somber. “I haven't been the most social in the past, but these last few days have been some of the best in my life. You're good people, and excellent friends.” The word sounded foreign in his mouth and Sirius recalled his comment from the welcome feast: _The old women and twelve-year-olds are just falling all over themselves_. Did he have any other friends his age at all?

“Safe travels, Remus,” James said, pulling him in for a quick, fierce hug.

“Send us a message when you arrive, yeah?” Dorcas planted a kiss on his forehead. “I’ll be worried if you don’t, which means my fiancée will be worried and we’ll both make poor decisions.”

“I will,” Remus promised.

Sirius forced an encouraging smile onto his face. _We were supposed to have more time together!_ he wanted to scream. “Take care of yourself.”

“I’ll miss you.” His gaze lingered on Sirius’ face and a million words hung between them. _Say it. Say it and I’ll follow you anywhere._ “I’ll—I’ll miss you.”

“Go. Be with your family,” Sirius said. It was a miracle he didn’t choke on his disappointment. “Don’t forget to write or I’ll have to join in on Marlene and Dorcas’ shenanigans.”

A soft smile flickered across Remus’ face and he ducked his head like he had the day they met. Sirius wanted to see him smile properly someday. With a final, brisk nod to the group, he turned and headed off into the forest, one hand on his sword and the other pulling his coat close around his neck.

“Are you coming with us?” James asked quietly.

“Yeah.” When Sirius turned, he saw the rest of them already standing at the base of the hill, save for James. He felt the tingle of pity on the back of his neck, but it was nothing compared to the lump in his throat or the weight in his heart.

* * *

They stayed in Hemgard that night and left early in the morning, too exhausted to move on to the next village without a few more hours’ sleep. Later that day, Marlene forced them all to take a bath in the icy river that ran along the main road. “I can’t stand it anymore,” she groaned, unbuttoning her bodice without even asking the others to turn around. “We all smell awful and I’m still a bit bloody from that fucking assassin.”

James, Sirius, and Peter made a quick escape downstream, where a thick copse of trees hid them from view and protected the ladies’ modesty, not that any of them seemed overly bothered. “How are we going to dry off?” James asked as he scrubbed his tunic. “Walking about in wet socks seems like a recipe for disaster.”

“As long as I can wash my hair out, I don’t care,” Sirius answered, dunking his head under the water. It was colder than anything he had ever washed in, but the strong current did an excellent job of rinsing the general grime out and he took a moment to revel in the feeling before resurfacing and shaking his head around.

“Stop it, you’re like a dog!” James griped, splashing a handful of water at him. He missed by a mile and caught Peter full in the face, who immediately tackled him. For one so small in stature, he was quite strong.

The solution to their drying problem turned out to be rather easy: once they were done cleaning up, they hung their clothes over some tree branches and stretched out in their underwear in a sunny patch until the water evaporated.

Their moment of peace was interrupted by shouting and laughter from the other side of the trees—from what Sirius gathered, Lily and Marlene had stolen Dorcas’ clothes while she washed and hid them somewhere. Lily eventually gave in and retrieved Dorcas’ things, and within an hour they were on the road again.

“What’s in Bailey, anyway?” James asked, squinting at the trees. “Isn’t it just a tiny lumber town?”

“My family,” Lily said simply. Her brows were furrowed and her mouth had pressed into a thin line; Sirius wondered if there was something she wasn’t telling them.

“Is your family okay?” He was generally the last person to be nosy about families, but he didn’t want to go in blind to a potentially explosive situation.

“As far as I know. They sent me up to Frystmark for a new trade deal a month ago, and I bet word of the attack has already spread. They’re probably worried out of their minds.”

“We’d better get a move on, then,” Peter said with an upbeat smile. “It’d be rude to keep them waiting for too much longer.”

A few minutes later, while Marlene and Peter chatted and James and Dorcas traded obscure archery terminology, Sirius leaned down to Lily’s level and whispered, “you lied.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Back at the tavern. You said your family lived near the border and that’s how you knew the song, but Bailey’s at least two days’ journey from the nearest border, if not more.”

Lily shrugged, tugging the end of her long braid. “I figured Remus could use a little cheering up. You’re not going to tattle on me, are you?”

“It would certainly make James think less of you if I did,” he said mock-seriously.

“Oh, _please_ do it then,” she snorted, casting a quick look over her shoulder. “Does he ever stop?”

“I’ve known him for six years as his professional best friend and I’ve yet to find something he can’t talk about, including you.”

“Six years? I thought you two had been together your whole lives.”

 _Fuck_. He hadn’t meant to let that slip. “Obviously not,” he laughed, trying to brush it off. “We look nothing alike.”

“Well, no, but I figured your families had been friends and that’s why you were their ward. Aren’t you from the Eastern Coast?”

Sirius trained his gaze steadily ahead. “Uh, no, I’m not.”

“Where _are_ you from, then?” Lily pressed. When he didn’t respond, she nudged him on the shoulder. “Hey.”

“I was disowned when I was sixteen and no, I’m not going to tell you why.”

Lily was quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. They’re shitty people and they were shitty parents. I’m better off without them.” _A noble and most ancient house_ , they had told him with an ever-present sneer. _Always right, always pure_. Regulus had understood that. He had followed the rules and followed the lies and followed the expectations until it killed him, or at least the version of him that Sirius knew. He could still feel the smooth, expensive parchment of their note when he thought about it; _he’s taken the mark_ , it read. _We’re so proud._

He didn’t miss the undertone of their letter, the one that said losing him two years prior was nothing short of a blessing. The Black’s had built their empire on the art of insinuation.

“I don’t doubt that,” Lily said, giving him an unreadable look. “You’re a good person.”

“You’ve known me for a week.”

“Yes, and?” Lily raised an eyebrow at him as they took a sharp right turn along an apple orchard. “You comforted James when I allegedly stomped on his heart. You dragged him from a hopeless battle, even though it meant leaving yourself vulnerable. You danced on a table with Marlene just to make us laugh and get us some good food, then let the man you’re infatuated with go back into the wilderness so that he could see his family again. I don’t know anything about the people who raised you, but would they do things like that?”

“They’d rather die.” Sirius laughed a little bitterly, tilting his head up toward the wide blue-gray sky. “You’re a lot wiser than you look, you know.”

“And you’re a lot less pompous than I thought you would be.” Lily craned her neck to look over her shoulder. “All of you are!”

“We’re what?” Marlene asked.

“Not pompous, apparently,” Sirius informed her. “Lovely Lily here thought we’d be a bunch of royal brats.”

“I’m not royal,” Peter grumbled.

“Neither am I, yet here we are.”

“You’re close enough.” Lily shrugged. “Honestly, I thought you’d all be useless as soon as we left Varghal.”

“Wow, thank you for the vote of confidence,” James said sarcastically. “It’s not like we’re trained to fight and lead armies or anything. No, it’s just parties and feasts all year ‘round.”

“Archery’s not just a hobby?” Lily sounded skeptical.

“Uh, no. Unlike your monarchs, the Eastern Coast leaders actually fight alongside their warriors.”

“And the rest of you?” Lily started walking backward so she could face them; Sirius wasn’t sure how to feel about the fact that their navigator was looking the wrong way.

“I begged my parents to let me learn. Tidoras historically sends generals into wars, not queens, but I've never been one to sit on the sidelines.” Marlene traced the hilt of her sword and gave it a fond little pat.

“Marajis is a lot like the Eastern islands,” Dorcas said. “It’s helpful to learn to fight at the same time we learn to ride so the motions become muscle memory quicker.”

“Interesting,” Lily muttered, turning back around. “Petunia’s going to lose her mind.”

“Who’s Petunia?” Sirius wracked his brain and tried to remember if Lily had mentioned a significant other—that would certainly explain why she rejected James so thoroughly.

“My older sister. She’ll probably come by for dinner if mum tells her I’m visiting.” Her lips pursed again and Sirius decided not to ask. He could only handle a small amount of talking about families in one day.

“How far away are we?” Peter asked. “It’s nearly dark.”

“We should be there by tomorrow night,” Lily said, narrowing her eyes at the horizon. “There’s a town a bit further down the road, but we could always camp out in the woods.”

“Let’s find the town,” Marlene said hastily. “I’d rather not freeze to death or get eaten.”

They entered the village in groups of two and three, just in case the Silval assassins had warned the innkeepers against six travelers coming together. Marlene and Dorcas took the leftover coins from Hemgard and rented a small room for the night on the ground floor, where they waited until the rest left the tavern and clambered in through the window.

“We have enough left over for some bread at the next market, I think.” Lily frowned at the meager handful of savings. “Not enough to stay at another inn or buy dinner, though.”

Sirius shrugged. “Marlene and I could—”

“Not tonight, it’s too dangerous,” James interrupted. “We’re only a day’s walk away.”

“Besides, my voice is tired,” Marlene joked. It fell a bit flat, but Sirius appreciated her effort. “If Lily’s estimations are right, we’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow, so I vote that we get some sleep. We should have someone on watch in case the assassins come back.”

Peter and James dragged the mattress off the bed, and they spread their coats just like they had two nights ago, but there was a cold absence beneath Sirius’ left arm no matter how he laid. With a heavy sigh, he curled against James’ back and prayed for sleep.

* * *

A gentle chiming and the sound of voices heralded the dawn. The five of them woke slowly, offering drowsy ‘good morning’s to Dorcas, who had taken the third watch. Lily and Peter went into the market to haggle for food while the others snuck out the window one by one and gathered at the south end of the town square, doing their best not to arouse suspicion from any nosy townsfolk.

“Alright, we’ve got two loaves of bread, four apples, and a bit of cheese,” Lily announced as they set off down the road half an hour later. “It’ll be a lean day.”

“We’ve each had a single bowl of soup over the past three days, Lily. You’re practically a harvest spirit by now,” Sirius said, reaching into the bag and pulling out one of the loaves. It was hard as a rock, but there was no visible mold when he broke it into six vaguely equal pieces.

“A truly lovely harvest spirit,” James added. “Y’know, with the glowing aura and—ow!”

Sirius would treasure the sound of an apple smacking into his best friend’s forehead forever.

They didn’t stop for the rest of the day, partially because they didn’t have money to afford lunch and partially because there was nowhere to go. Open fields stretched to the horizon while lines of ancient oaks, painted red and orange from the autumn, separated homesteads. Farmworkers and woodsmen tipped their hats as they passed; nobody looked at them with untoward suspicion, even as heavily armed as they were.

Dusk had come and gone by the time they reached Bailey. It was smaller than Sirius had anticipated, with only a handful of houses and a mill in the distance. The surrounding area was filled with trees of all sizes and rested at the base of a high, wooded hillside, and Lily led them to a quaint little cottage as the moon began to rise.

“It’s going to be fine,” Sirius said quietly, squeezing her shoulder in solidarity as she knocked once.

The door creaked open after a moment. “Can I help y—Lily!”

The woman in the entrance launched herself into Lily's arms. “Hey, Mum.”

“Oh, sweetheart, are you alright?” Lily’s mother had the same red hair as her daughter, but her eyes were a deep, worried brown instead of vibrant green. “When we heard about Varghal...”

“I’m okay, really. We got out just after it was attacked.”

“We?” Mrs. Evans noticed the group of people behind Lily for the first time and blushed. “I’m sorry, I’ve been terribly rude. Who might you be?”

“Mum, these are my friends.” Lily stepped aside and gestured to each of them in turn. “Marlene, Peter, Dorcas, James, and Sirius.”

Mrs. Evans’ jaw went slack. “You—you’re the…Lily, these are _royals_.”

“Hello,” Peter said with an awkward wave. “It’s wonderful to meet you.”

“You as well,” Mrs. Evans said faintly. “Would you like to come in for cider? It’s terribly cold out tonight. I don’t have anything fancy, I’m afraid.”

Dorcas smiled. “Mrs. Evans, none of us have had a warm drink in several days. Cider sounds fantastic.”

The cider was indeed quite delicious. Lily’s mother seemed to get over her initial shock enough to join them around the fireplace with her own mug after a few minutes of hushed whispering with Lily while the rest of them placed their weapons near the door. Carved ivy trailed along the mantle and the tops of the wall planks, making the whole place seem alive in the firelight. It was the type of home Sirius imagined a normal, happy family would have.

“If you don’t mind me asking, where are your parents?” Mrs. Evans asked. “No offense, but it seems a little odd that a group of your standing would come to this tiny town after an attack such as that.”

“We don’t know,” Marlene said quietly, staring into her cider. “We lost track of them during the battle and Remus got us out before we could find them again.”

“Remus?”

“The prince of Frystmark. He was part of our group until a couple of days ago.” Sirius didn’t miss the sympathetic look she shot him across the circle, and his heart ached when he thought of Remus’ face as he said goodbye.

“What happened to him?”

“Nothing, as far as we know. He went back to check on his family and he’s supposed to send a message to us when he gets there safely.”

Mrs. Evans looked skeptical, but she nodded. “I hope the message arrives soon.”

“Me too,” Sirius muttered.

“You should stay here for the night,” she continued. “We have one guest room besides Lily’s, and it will only take a few minutes to put fresh linens on my bed for another two people.”

“Absolutely not,” James said firmly, as if the very idea offended him. “Mrs. Evans, you have shown us incredible hospitality tonight and we are all grateful. We certainly don’t have the audacity to rob you of your bed.”

“Marlene and Dorcas could stay with me,” Lily offered. “Unless Petunia’s bed was moved, there should be room.”

“Would you mind?” Dorcas asked, looking honestly concerned. “It’s your personal space.”

Lily shrugged. “You can take her bed, I’ll stay in mine, and the boys can take the guest room. Does that work for everyone?”

“Sounds good to me,” Peter said. “Thank you again.”

The guest room was smaller than their rooms at the inns, but it was still big enough to fit the three of them in one bed if they squeezed in tight. Sirius laid on the far side, teetering on the edge of the bed and desperately wishing James wasn’t quite so tall as his elbow continued to find a home in Sirius’ ribs. He drifted in and out of sleep for a bit before rolling onto his side and bracing against the nightstand, where he slept through the rest of the night.

He didn’t dream much—vague, blurry images of blackened snow and distant echoes of screaming floated into his subconscious from time to time, and more than once Sirius thought he heard the plaintive howling of a wolf. If he concentrated, he could feel the dense, soft fur on its neck and see the dark gold of its eyes as it stared down at him, watching, waiting.

“Stop yanking on my hair,” James grumbled, slapping at his hand and jostling him awake.

“Huh?” Sirius released his grip on the wolf’s fur, which had suddenly turned pitch-black as it curled around his fingers. “Oh. G’morning.”

“Five more minutes,” Peter mumbled. Sirius didn’t remember turning around during the night and was honestly surprised that he had managed to move at all, considering how closely packed they were.

“I’m so hungry,” he sighed as his stomach rumbled. “D’you think Lily’s mum will feed us? I’m not really in the mood to play the tambourine.”

“Maybe they’re a family of harvest spirits,” James mused, squinting at the ceiling. Sirius and Peter laid their heads on each of his shoulders and snuggled closer; of the six of them, James was by far the warmest to cuddle. “If you keep doing that, I’ll fall asleep and we’ll stay here forever.”

“Good.” Peter pulled the blanket up to his chin and closed his eyes. “ ‘s been too long since I was in an actual bed.”

“Wakey, wakey boys!” The door slammed open and Marlene entered, clapping her hands loudly in the calm quiet of the guest bedroom.

“Noooooooo,” Sirius groaned, pulling James’ arm around his head to block out the light.

“Yeeeeeeees.” Marlene flopped over their tangled legs, nearly snapping both of Sirius calves in the process. “Get up, lazy bones. Oh, this bed is _cozy_.”

“You’re going to break it if you throw yourself around like that,” James pointed out, grimacing as she shifted. “You have the sharpest knees, I swear.”

“If you don’t get up, you’ll find them in some unsavory places.”

“And I’m up! Let’s roll out, boys.” James extracted himself from their stranglehold and stood, brushing off the flannel pajamas Mrs. Evans had given him. Lily’s father was away on business for the foreseeable future, but Sirius could tell he was a tall man—the trousers were long even on James, and Sirius’ pooled slightly around his feet.

Not that he was bitter about that, or anything.

They wandered out of the guest room after Marlene, tugging their undershirts on as they went. It seemed rude to sprawl about half-dressed in someone else’s home; scandalizing Lily’s mother was not on Sirius’ to-do list anytime soon. “Good morning, everyone,” Lily said from the table, where she was buttering a slice of bread. Her hair was in a fresh braid and still damp. “How’d you sleep?”

“Like a f—like an absolute dream.” Sirius caught himself just in time and peeked around the door into the kitchen in case Mrs. Evans was within earshot. He saw her working in the garden though the window and relaxed again. _Safe_. “Thanks again for letting us stay the night.”

“It’s good to be home,” she said with a small smile. “Besides, I figured we’d rest here for a few days anyway and puzzle out what to do from there. Remus’ letter should arrive soon.”

Sirius hummed noncommittally and grabbed his own slice of bread, spreading sweet red jam over it. “I wonder how he’s doing.”

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Marlene yawned, lounging back in her chair so her head laid on Dorcas’ lap.

“Is it really noon already?” James frowned at the wall clock. “We didn’t get here very late last night.”

“We all slept for a long time,” Lily said. “None of us have rested for more than a couple of hours in, like, four days. That reminds me, we should find you some practical clothes. Yours are well-made, but they’re disgusting by this point.”

“Thanks for sparing our feelings,” Dorcas snorted. “Don’t hold back or anything.”

Lily shrugged. “Hey, mine are, too. Your journeys home are going to be long, and it can’t hurt to have a decent pair of trousers on.”

 _Home_. Sirius hadn’t even thought about getting back to the Eastern Coast. It seemed so long ago that he and James had bundled up in their carriage and headed north, when in reality it had only been nine days since their arrival in Varghal. Sirius blew a long breath out and leaned back in his seat, no longer hungry.

“What’s wrong?” James bumped his arm.

“We left home fifteen days ago. Can you believe that?”

James’ gaze unfocused and he stared into the distance like he always did when he was thinking hard. “…Wow. That’s not a long time.”

“Yeah.”

“It feels like a long time.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure it was fifteen days?”

“Well, it’s been four days since the attack, and we were there for five days before that, right?” He counted on his fingers just in case. “It took about five and a half, six days to get to Varghal from Harindvar, so yeah. Fifteen.”

“Huh.” James looked around the house as if seeing it for the first time. “And now we’re here. In a woodman’s cottage, running from assassins with nowhere to run to and no idea where our parents are.”

“Think they’ll find us here?”

“I doubt it, but who knows?”

“You two are depressing, but you’re right,” Peter said around a mouthful of apple. “We don’t have a plan or anywhere to go, unless you want to split up and try not to die on the way home.”

“I, for one, would rather not walk halfway across the continent by myself.” Dorcas paused running her fingers through Marlene’s hair for a half-second and Marlene made a grumpy noise. “I’d ask you to come with me, but then you and Pete would be crossing the Wildland alone.”

Marlene sighed happily as Dorcas resumed her movement. “I love you, but I’ll pass.”

“How about we stick to getting clothes for now?” Lily suggested. “The boys can take turns bathing and I’ll see what I can find for you to wear around here. I’m sure the ladies and I can alter some old clothes to fit.”

“I’m not doing all of their clothes,” Marlene laughed. “I like sewing, but not that much.”

“Do we have to?” Peter asked, the edge of a whine in his voice. One combined glare from all three women shut him up quick. “Oh, alright. I call dibs on the first bath.”

* * *

It was an easy day, much to Sirius’ surprise. Sewing was rather fun once he got the hang of it and stopped stabbing himself in the fingers with every other stitch, and by the late afternoon he had put together a decent set of trousers and darned the holes in one of Mr. Evans’ old shirts. They were much softer than his mismatched clothes, and the fabric was sturdier; he had no doubt these would hold up to plenty of adventuring.

James’ shirt was wonky on one side and Dorcas had to help him rip it apart again, but Peter was deft with a needle and thread. “I apprenticed with the castle doctor for a few months when I was younger,” he said as he finished hemming the other side of Marlene’s dress. “Doing stitches isn’t much different than sewing fabric, really.”

There was something about accomplishing a menial task with no stakes whatsoever that lifted Sirius’ spirits; surely, Remus’ message would arrive soon and bear good news about their parents. He would tell them that Varghal was still standing, that his people were alive, and that the whole deal with Silvalith was a huge misunderstanding.

He would come back.

Dinner was boisterous that night as the seven of them crowded the table, chatting and laughing over a roast chicken. Mrs. Evans kept spooning more potatoes onto everyone’s plates and beamed at anyone who thanked her for the meal—she seemed genuinely delighted to have them all in her cottage. Lily’s sister had sent word that she would not be visiting after all, and a good bit of the tension Lily had been carrying melted away.

The sky was well and truly dark by ten o’clock that night and they all curled up around the fireplace, sipping their cider and listening to the whispering wind against the shutters. Sirius was warm all over where he leaned against Peter, who dozed off every few minutes with soft snores. _I’m content_ , he thought giddily as his own eyes began sliding shut. _I’m content and I’m not even at home_.

A loud knock at the door startled them all, but their reaction times were sluggish compared to the previous days. It took Marlene a full ten seconds to locate her longsword, and Peter only roused when Mrs. Evans peeked out the door with a hesitant, “Hello?”

“Hello, you wouldn’t happen to have seen a band of royals around here recently, would you?”

Sirius sat bolt upright, suddenly wide awake.

“ _Remus?_ ” Lily hurried over and opened the door the rest of the way. “Come in, please, you look…frozen.”

“Thanks, Lily.” Remus removed his boots and sword, but his mind was clearly not engaged and his voice sounded like he’d been gargling broken glass. _Or screaming_ , Sirius brain oh-so-helpfully replied.

“Remus, are you alright?” Marlene set her sword down slowly, carefully, like she was trying not to spook a wounded animal.

“Yeah, why? Did I miss something? Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. You must be Lily’s mother.” He held his hand out and Mrs. Evans shook it hesitantly. Sirius didn’t blame her: Remus was streaked with soot and dirt, and he was pretty sure there was blood on his coat, not to mention the smudged tear tracks cutting along his cheeks. He looked like a dead man walking. “I’m Remus, the prince of Frystmark.”

His voice audibly caught on the last word and Sirius exchanged a glance with James. Something was very wrong. “Do you have news?” James ventured.

“Yeah, the Silval soldiers kidnapped our parents. They’re on their way to Os Anguis as we speak.”

“How did you find that out?”

Remus paused for a moment, then stared pointedly at the mantle, away from James. “There were two soldiers left in the—when I went back.”

“…and?”

“And nothing. They’re not there anymore.”

A cloud of finality hung in the living room, so jarringly different than the bubble of safety they had had only minutes prior. Marlene had killed the Death Eater in Hemgard, but this was different. “What did you find there?” Dorcas asked, her voice soft.

The stony mask Remus had put up wobbled for a second and he cleared his throat. He looked like he had been running on pure adrenaline for days. “Sorry?”

“When you went back, what did you find?” Dorcas took a step closer, her hands placating. “You’re not telling us something.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Remus—”

“What do you want to know?” he shouted suddenly. They all jumped at the noise and Sirius felt something twist in his chest. Remus was watching them like he expected them to attack at any moment. “What do you want me to say? That they burned my city to the ground? That they left the dead lying in the streets? That they slaughtered our wolves like sheep? Because they did, Dorcas, they came in and took my family and destroyed my home.”

The room went silent. Even the nightbirds outside stopped chirping. “I’m so sorry.”

“You should be.” Remus’ hoarse voice cracked as tears filled his eyes and made them bright. “You should be, all of you. This is why we don’t like letting people in. We stay apart from the rest of you because every time we let our guard down, someone comes along and destroys _everything_ we love. It’s ashes. It’s all ashes and there is nothing left.”

Dorcas closed the distance between them in three long strides, and before Sirius could warn her, she wrapped her arms around Remus and held him tight. “Stop,” he sobbed, even as he clung to the back of her shirt like it was a lifeline and practically melted into her hold. “Just leave me alone.”

“You don’t have to be alone anymore.” Dorcas rested her chin on the top of his head and closed her eyes. “Every single one of us is going to stand with you. We’re going to go to Os Anguis and break down the doors and take back what they stole, and we’ll do it as a team.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marlene: I'm sure Remus is fine :)  
> Remus, having a breakdown in the middle of the woods: Cool cool cool no doubt no doubt
> 
> Song for Chapter 2:  
> \- The Time of Axe and Sword is Now (Witcher soundtrack) for the assassins/ Remus going home (ouch)  
> \- The Fishmonger's Daughter (Witcher soundtrack) is the first song Sirius and Marlene sing (with their own extended verse of course)  
> \- Barrett's Privateers (the Real MacKenzies) is the sea shanty Marlene sings! 
> 
> Please leave comments and kudos! I love hearing what you think of the characters and the plot!
> 
> Come talk to me on Tumblr at @wayward-demigod-witch


	5. A Long Way From Home

"What now?”

“Fuck if I know.”

“Right.” Sirius prodded the dying embers of the fire with the iron poker he had found, staring into the wisps of smoke and waiting for some great cosmic message to reveal itself. Some reason for the events of the past weeks, some sheepish apology from the dice-rolling asshole in the sky who decided to throw everything Sirius cared about in a basket and set it aflame.

The soft splashing from the other room had stopped a while ago, but the rest of them had silently agreed not to talk about it. Nobody really knew what to do, anyway—Sirius ached to sit with Remus in silence for as long as he needed, just so he wouldn’t be alone, but he knew that giving him space would be the best course of action.

“The water’s probably cold by now,” Peter said quietly, chancing a look at the closed door. “D’you think he’ll be alright?”

“Not particularly,” James said, his voice dry. “Having your home torn to bits will do that to a person, I suppose.”

“James.” Lily elbowed him harder than strictly necessary and he deflated a bit.

“Sorry. I’m just worried.”

Sirius knew that look on his best friend’s face; he had seen it many times before when James was worried about his parents or when Sirius started thinking about his old life again. The furrow of his brow, the downturn of his mouth, and his rigid shoulders were a familiar sight to anyone who knew him and truly proved that Remus had become part of James’ family. _Just over a week this time_ , Sirius thought wryly. _That must be a new record_.

“Do you have extra space for the night?” A low voice asked from the doorway to the washroom. Remus was still drying his hair; the smooth caramel color had turned chestnut brown from the water and curled at the ends in loose loops, giving him the appearance of a slightly ruffled bird. “I can sleep on the floor if you don’t.”

“Nonsense, we’ve got space in our bed,” James said without hesitation. Sirius and Peter both raised an eyebrow at him—they certainly did _not_ have extra space in the guest bed that was barely made for two people, let alone four strapping young men. “Right, boys?”

“Worst comes to worst, you can share with me,” Lily joked halfheartedly. The flicker of a smile passed across Remus’ face and hope rose in Sirius’ chest. His eyes were still dull and distracted, but there was a bloom of life there somewhere.

Remus padded across the room and settled between Sirius and the fire without a sound. His left knee rested carefully against Sirius’ right; Sirius could tell he was keenly aware of every movement either of them made. “Did the rest of you form a plan yet?”

“We didn’t want to do it without you,” Dorcas answered with a tired smile. “Besides, it’s far too late to do anything important and I, for one, have reached my limit for heavy conversations tonight.”

The rest of them murmured their agreement, but nobody moved toward the bedrooms. Sirius stood and brushed the nonexistent dust from his trousers. “I’m going to bed. Anyone else?”

A chorus of ‘yeah, sure’ and vague nods answered, followed by a good bit of shuffling and muttering as five people dispersed, leaving just him and Remus by the fire. Carefully, Sirius reached out and touched him on the arm.

“Are you coming?”

“Yeah.”

“…do you need a moment?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright.” Sirius didn’t move from his position and, after a brief period of silence, Remus leaned into the side of his leg with a shaky sigh. “You’re going to be okay, Remus.”

“I don’t know how I can be. Sirius, if you had seen it—everything is gone. Everything.”

“No.” Remus glanced up at him, finally, and Sirius squeezed his shoulder. “We’re still here. James, Lily, Peter, Marlene, Dorcas. Me.”

“I killed two people.” His voice was little more than a whisper. “I heard them talking about our parents and I went straight for their throats.”

“Marlene stabbed a man in the heart three days ago, Remus. James took out at least two at the battle. I don’t think any of us are going to get through this with clean hands.”

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep.”

“There’s only one way to find out,” Sirius said, holding his hand out. Remus took it after a second’s hesitation and he pulled him to his feet until they were facing one another in a cruel mirror of their dance. In that moment, standing mere inches from Remus in the low light of the fire, Sirius wanted to hold him close and stand between anything that dared to make him look so fragile.

He settled for taking his elbow and leading him to the guest room, where James and Peter were doing an excellent job of faking sleep. They changed in silence, facing away from one another, though it didn’t really matter; once they slid beneath the sheets and sandwiched themselves alongside the other two, Sirius could feel James’ heartbeat through his arm on one side and Remus’ on his other.

With a long exhale, he let the comfortable heat radiating off Remus’ body and the steady breaths of his brother lull him to sleep.

* * *

The morning dawned soft and slow for once. Sirius decided not to open his eyes and greet it in case Marlene was waiting to drag him out of this wonderful bed by his toes again.

“Should we wake them?” A low voice asked from the doorway.

“No, they look so cozy!”

“We do have to leave at some point, Marlene.”

“Maybe we can just get Sirius up and let Remus be? He’s had a rough couple of days.”

There was a slightly-too-loud laugh that was quickly shushed by several people. “I’d like to see you try to get Sirius out of there.”

 _Out of where?_ Sirius let the last bits of glorious sleep slide away and wiggled his toes, trying to get his bearings. He was still in the guest bed, laying partially on his side— _that’s odd, I never sleep on my side_ —with a warm weight covering half his body. _Large blanket_ , his drowsy brain suggested. Sirius hummed in agreement and cuddled into it.

The blanket mumbled something and shifted. _Not blanket???_

Carefully, he cracked one eye open and scowled in the general direction of the voices from before. “Shuddup.”

“Oh, he’s adorable.”

The not-blanket grumbled again, slightly louder this time, and tightened its grip. From what Sirius gathered in the sudden light of the sun, he had rolled directly into Remus at some point during the night, whose limbs were now wrapped around him in a tangle. Soft curls tickled the underside of his chin and one strong arm had a solid hold on his midriff.

“What?” he mumbled under his breath, looking past Remus to the doorway, where five people were gathered. “G’morning.”

“Morning.” Dorcas grinned at him. “How’d you sleep?”

“…I’m not sure I can move.” He shifted, then immediately froze when Remus made a terribly sad noise and basically flopped onto his chest. James was shaking with suppressed laughter and Sirius scowled at him before gently shaking Remus’ shoulder. “Hey. Remus, wake up.”

“Hmm?” Remus inhaled slowly as he woke. His freckles glowed in the slanted sun.

“Good morning.”

Remus jolted in his arms and sat up in the blink of an eye, which would have been fine if his head wasn’t directly beneath Sirius’ chin and they weren’t on the very edge of the bed. “Shit, sorry!”

“ _Ow_.” Sirius’ jaw smarted as he pushed the upper half of his body back onto the mattress, still shaking the last spots of pain out of his eyes.

“Are you okay?” Peter asked. Remus’ eyes went wide when he saw their audience.

“Were you all just standing there?”

“Yeah.”

“ _For how long_?”

“Long enough,” James snickered, sending the others into a fit of laughter. Sirius could feel the heat on his face burning him from the inside out and squeezed his eyes shut, praying this was just a dream. “Come on, you two, we have planning to do!”

“I am so sorry,” Remus said into his hands once the others were gone.

“It’s fine,” Sirius assured him around the embarrassment that he could practically taste. “It was, um, actually kind of nice.”

“Oh.” Remus looked down at last, still sleep-soft and gorgeous. “Should we…?”

“Yeah, we should.” Sirius’ heart pounded in his ears, stuttering over itself as he propped himself up on his elbows.

“Right. Okay.” Remus stared at him for a moment, stock-still, until Sirius leaned closer and he all but bolted from the bed. “We have—we have a lot to do today and you might want to, um, get your stuff together.”

Sirius’ jaw fell open as Remus grabbed something off the floor and slipped out of the room without a backward glance, nearly tripping over his own feet as he tried to walk and put socks on at the same time. “That was—but—”

If he had a little less self-control he would scream.

Instead, like a responsible adult who wasn’t still reeling with confusion, he rolled out of bed and dressed, taking a few deep breaths to collect himself and then a few more to calm his heart, which was still galloping from being thoroughly snuggled.

When he finally gathered the courage to face the world, everyone else pointedly avoided meeting his eyes. Did they not understand that he could see the smiles they were hiding? Did they not—“Stop it, Marlene!”

“I’m not doing anything!” she immediately defended with a twitching smirk.

“I know! That’s the problem!”

“What do you want me to do?”

“You might say ‘good morning’!”

She snorted and he instantly regretted his word choice. “But I know you already had one.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!”

“Alright, both of you, that’s enough,” Lily interrupted, holding her hands out like she was stopping a cage match. “Marlene, while you are entirely correct and I’m on your side, we do have things to take care of. Sirius, we saved you a spot.” With far too much ceremony, she gestured to the sliver of room between herself and Remus and burst into laughter.

“Lily, you are _so_ funny,” Remus said in the driest voice Sirius had heard in his life. “A real comedic genius. We’re lucky to have you.”

“Is everything alright in here?” Mrs. Evans poked her head from the kitchen, looking rather amused.

“Mrs. Evans, how attached are you to your daughter?” Sirius asked.

“She’s always been a troublemaker,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “But unfortunately, I do care about her quite a bit.”

“Thanks, mum!” Lily said with a bright smile. “Love you!”

“I love you too, imp,” Mrs. Evans disappeared back into the kitchen with a wink.

“Believe it or not, we actually did call you two out here for a reason.” Peter spread a map over the coffee table and placed a mug of cider at each corner. “Alright, so we know the kidnappers are going to Os Anguis, and Bailey is…here-ish?”

Lily moved his finger a bit down and to the right. “Here, actually. We hauled ass to get here in two days. Honestly, I’m a little surprised Remus made it so fast.”

“I ran most of the way.” Remus shrugged. “Anyway, the soldiers will be wanting to avoid suspicion, so they’ll take the most direct route to the capital, yeah?”

“There’s no way we’ll be able to cut them off before they reach Silvalith,” Marlene said, winding a strand of hair between her fingers. “A caravan would travel slow, but we would still be lucky to catch them before the mountains.”

“Time out.” Dorcas held her hands up in a T-shape. “Do we have a plan for what we do if we catch up to the caravan? Are we killing a bunch of soldiers? Are we re-kidnapping our parents? Are we following them into Os Anguis and exposing Riddle’s assassination attempts?”

An uncomfortable silence followed. Honestly, Sirius hadn’t thought about their end goal yet; tracking down the royals had been at the top of his priority list until Remus came back with information. “I might have an idea?” Lily scooted over to the map and furrowed her brows. “Right, so, if we can catch the caravan before it crosses the mountain pass and threaten the soldiers into giving your folks back, we can tell them what we know and let the actual leaders of our countries handle the royal madman.”

“You’re so smart,” James practically sighed, staring at her with dreamy eyes. Sirius smacked him on the back of the head.

“What if we’re really unlucky, though?” Remus asked. “If the caravan makes it through the mountain pass, we’re fucked. We already have to walk through the heart of Silvalith without getting noticed, but going into Os Anguis fully armed with a target on our backs is just plain stupid.”

“Worst case scenario, we could always kill Riddle and stop a war before it starts,” Marlene mused.

“Full offense, that’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard.”

“I said ‘worst case scenario’! Do you have a better ‘worst case’ plan?”

“Yes! It’s called ‘let’s not get publicly executed for high treason’!”

“I don’t think it counts as high treason if you’re not a citizen of Silvalith,” Sirius pointed out, earning him twin glares.

“Come on, guys, we’re seven of the best and brightest minds on the continent!” James protested. “We have a Plan A that works as long as we move fast, avoid attention, and make it through eastern Silvalith without a problem. Plan B doesn’t have to be complicated if we improvise.”

“I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but we attract trouble like magnets,” Peter said. “Did you forget that a solid number of Silval soldiers are actively trying to kill us?”

“Assassins, not soldiers.” James corrected, then frowned. “Okay, I see your point now.”

“Improvisation isn’t a plan,” Lily said with an edge of exasperation. “At this point, I say we decide what to do with your parents once we find them and _then_ figure out what the backup is.”

“All in favor of killing their captors?” Dorcas asked. Nobody raised their hands. “How about a quiet re-kidnapping?” Seven hands went into the air. “That settles it, then. The caravan will have probably made it to the northern border by now, so we’ll have to leave soon if we want to catch them before they reach the mountains.”

“They’ve got a five-day head start,” Sirius warned as he mentally traced their route along the map. If they did it right, they would pass through an area he knew fairly well. “We should leave by this afternoon at the very latest.”

“Lily, you’re going with them?” Mrs. Evans voice made them all jump a bit—Sirius had entirely forgotten that she was still within earshot. The earlier playfulness on her face had been replaced by concern and a touch of sadness.

Lily cocked her head to the side. “Yeah, mum, I am.”

“But why?”

Lily started to respond, then paused and looked down at the map. As much as Sirius hated to think about it, he understood; she had no stake in this dangerous, possibly fatal quest. Her family was safe, her country was still standing, and she had absolutely nothing to prove to anyone. She could stay here and be a woodsman in Bailey, she could forget about them all, she could let them go with an oath of secrecy, and nobody would be able to fault her for it. Sirius knew she was brave, but she was also one of the smartest people he knew; nobody in their right mind would agree to go on a cross-continental road trip for no reason.

“I—I don’t know.” Across the circle, James’ shoulders sank. _I suppose we’re down to six, then_. “I think…” she began again, trailing off before shaking her head. “I know I’ll regret it for the rest of my life if I don’t go. This is what friends do for each other.”

“Alright. Not that you need my permission anymore, but I won’t stop you,” Mrs. Evans said, suddenly sounding much older than she looked. “Come on into the kitchen and fix yourselves some sandwiches for the road. Nobody will leave my house hungry if I have anything to say about it.”

Sirius’ estimation of ‘some sandwiches’ turned out to be vastly inadequate. Eventually, Lily had to stop her mother from filling one of the rucksacks they were borrowing with bread and meat instead of other necessities, like spare socks and their map. Many hands made light work, and within two hours it was time to go.

“Can I have a second, guys?” Lily asked as they gathered on the edge of the road.

“Take all the time you need,” Peter said, hoisting Lily’s pack onto his shoulder.

Mrs. Evans was still watching them from the front door, but her stoic expression shifted as Lily hurried back up the stone path for a final hug. “I’m so proud of you,” Sirius heard her say as she held her daughter tight. “Follow your heart.” Her eyes shone as Lily mumbled something into the thick coil of her hair. “Oh, I’ll miss you, too, Lily-love.”

Marlene let out a trembling breath next to Sirius and he pulled her in for a side-hug on instinct; he suddenly and fiercely wished she had had a chance to say goodbye to her mothers before they were taken. _Whatever it takes_ , he promised himself. _Whatever it takes to get them home_.

Lily rejoined the group a few moments later, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand as she walked straight to the front of the pack without a backward glance. It was time to go.

“Who here has been to Silvalith before?” Sirius asked. “Outside of the council meetings, I mean.” Marlene, Remus, and Lily all raised their hands. “Pete, don’t you live on the border?”

“I did when I was little. Once the border disputes started getting violent, my mum and I moved closer to Courlion, just in case. There was no reason to go after that.”

“Right, physician’s apprentice. Did you learn anything besides embroidery there?”

Peter rolled his eyes at the playful ribbing. “It’s not _embroidery_ , it’s sewing. And yes, I did. Just for that, I’m not stitching any of your limbs back together if you do something stupid.”

“Fine, I’ll get someone else to do it for me. One of you knows how to reattach arms and such, right?” Sirius’ inquiry was met with uncomfortable silence. “Really? Not a single one of you?”

“It never came up,” Dorcas defended.

“Lily, you might want to take back your earlier statement about us being useless,” Sirius sighed.

“Pompous, not useless, but alright.” Lily grinned. “I hereby declare everyone in this group except myself and Peter an official useless brat. Happy now?”

“You’re doing wonders for my self-esteem here, Lils,” James snorted.

“I’m sure you can stand to be taken down a peg.”

They bickered back and forth for another hour or so, trailing after Lily in a strange parade. Trading in their tattered and grimy clothing seemed to have been a good choice; they hardly got a second glance from the many farmers along the way.

The roads of the Middle Kingdom had always impressed Sirius; due to the heavy logging trade and the fact that most people had to cross it in order to get to the Eastern ports, the dirt and sawdust were thoroughly packed and sturdy. There was no leftover muck from rain and horses, and in some places, in had been paved with wide bricks where the ground was weakest.

“How long until we reach the village?” James grimaced as he adjusted one of the heavy rucksacks on his back and his spine popped. “Or even just a bench?”

“Marlene has the map, ask her,” Lily said.

“What? No, I don’t. Remus has it.”

“I do not!” Remus argued. “You said you’d put it away while I was packing the food!”

“I said _Lily_ would put it away,” Marlene corrected. “And then she said she gave it to you.”

Lily turned to look at them both and the group came to a stop. “Marlene, I told you to get it off the table while Remus packed the sandwiches!”

“I _told you_ I was packing the food!”

“It’s not my fault! Lily said she’d take care of it!”

“Stop it, all of you!” James cut in, stepping between them. “Let’s go through our stuff and check to see who has the map. It doesn’t matter whose fault it was.”

“It wasn’t mine,” Remus muttered under his breath.

Marlene rolled her eyes. “ _Oh_ , for the love of—” Her complaint cut off abruptly as a bundle of fabric hit her square in the nose. James raised his eyebrows at her and lifted another pair of socks in a clear threat until she huffed and began helping him dig through their things.

Twenty minutes and plenty of cursing later, they discovered that nobody had, in fact, grabbed the map before they left the house. A second challenge came when none of them could figure out how to repack their bags, so the hurried scramble turned into lunch in the middle of the road. Ham and cheese sandwiches were decidedly less tasty when they were sun-warmed and a little dusty from travel, but Sirius was hungry enough to eat just about anything.

“Well. We have no map and we really can’t waste any more time if we want half a chance of catching that stupid fucking caravan,” Sirius said as he jammed the last waterskin back in. “At least you three have been here before.” There was a tense silence. _No. Absolutely not_. “Are you kidding me?”

“In my defense, I’m fantastic at navigating southern Silvalith,” Marlene said. She seemed less likely to chop someone’s head off after some food, at least.

“Remus?”

“Same problem, opposite direction.”

“Lily, please tell me you know where you’re going.”

“I know how to get to the border, mostly,” she said, twisting the end of her braid. “The trade deals have been tapering off the past few years because we keep finding Silval soldiers poking around the towns, but my dad and I used to go there at least once a season.”

Dorcas pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes. “And none of you thought to bring that up when Sirius asked? You know, when we were still a reasonable distance from the cottage?”

“He didn’t specify!” Lily and Marlene exclaimed at the same time.

Sirius wanted to throttle them both. “I shouldn’t have to! My meaning was crystal clear!”

“He _was_ pretty blatant about it,” James mused.

“You don’t get to defend him.” Marlene jabbed her pointer fingers at them. “You’ve got that weird telepathy thing going on and I don’t like it.”

“Look, why don’t we just keep walking until we reach the next town and find a map there,” Peter said, sounding utterly exhausted despite their recent meal. Sirius supposed spending time around the six of them would do that to a person as introverted as poor Peter.

“I’m with Pete,” Dorcas said, standing up and adjusting the spear on her back. “We’re not getting anything done by sitting around and arguing.”

“The future rulers of the continent, and not a single person remembers a fucking map,” James mumbled as he hauled Sirius to his feet. “Fantastic.”

* * *

“We’re lost.”

“No, we are not.”

“We’re _definitely_ lost.”

“For the eightieth time, I know where we are!”

“Bullshit. We should’ve gone left.”

“For fuck’s sake, Sirius, give it a rest!”

“I’m with Sirius on this one—”

“Who would have guessed.”

“—and we should turn back before it gets any darker.” An owl hooted overhead and all seven of them jumped, forming an even tighter clump as they watched the sun grow lower and lower on the horizon.

“Turning back won’t do us any good.” Remus shook his head and turned to face James. “In case you haven’t noticed, there aren’t a lot of people around here.”

“I swear I saw a chimney not ten minutes ago.”

“Jamie, I love you, but you have terrible eyesight for anything within twenty feet of you. That was a dead tree.” Something moved in the underbrush and Sirius leaned closer to his brother, hovering his hand over the hilt of his sword. They had seen neither hide nor hair of the assassins since Hemgard, but that didn’t mean they were safe.

Another twig crackled, on Sirius’ other side this time. “Hello?” he called, slowly drawing his blade. “Is anyone there?”

“If you’re here to rob us, we have no money, just sandwiches and socks,” Marlene said. “You don’t like ham and cheese, do you? Ouch, Dorcas, that was my foot!”

“Lower your voice!” Dorcas hissed. The point of her arrow gleamed in the setting sun as she took up her position defending her fiancée’s back.

“I’m just asking!”

“Whoever’s out there, show yourself,” Remus demanded in a voice like stone. Unfortunately, it was kind of attractive, especially since it was still a little husky from the night before and— _pull it together, Sirius_. _Now is_ not _the time_. Sirius shook his shoulders out and resumed scanning the shadowed trees around them.

A sudden scream pierced the air behind him, closely followed by James’ familiar shout of alarm and the twang of a bowstring. Sirius whipped around, fully prepared to fight whoever was stalking them, only for Peter’s wayward elbow to put him off-balance. He stumbled into Remus’ back and within moments, all seven of them were in a pile on the ground, staring up at a scornful-looking cat.

One of James’ arrows was embedded in the ground next to its curling tail and it appeared personally offended by this fact, if its hiss of disapproval was anything to go by. Sirius had never been glared at by a cat before; somehow, the spectacle markings around its eyes made the effect even more pronounced.

“Is this what all the fuss was about?” Marlene asked. “You scared the shit out of me, you two.”

“It jumped out of nowhere,” Lily said sheepishly. The cat meowed loudly at her. “You did!”

Sirius untangled himself from the web of limbs, rucksacks, and weapons—it was a miracle none of them had lost an eye, what with all the sharp pointy bits laying about. “If anyone was wondering, my heart is doing fine now, though it’s found a new home in my throat for the time being.”

“I don’t like cats,” Remus grumbled as he dusted himself off. “Always running around and biting people.”

“I’m pretty sure direwolves bite people, too,” Sirius said.

“But not without a _reason._ ” Remus sounded downright scandalized. _Right. Sacred symbol_.

“Where are your people, kitty?” Dorcas cooed, crouching down to the cat’s height and holding her hand out for it to sniff. “Aren’t you just the cutest thing?”

The cat rubbed its head against her palm, then moved past her and began weaving through everyone’s legs in a smooth ripple, pausing now and then to pass judgement. Sirius held his breath when it reached Remus, who had been eyeing it warily the whole time. The cat sat down in front of him and tangled its claws in his pant leg, tugging downward with a forceful meow.

“Stop it. Bad cat.” Remus shook his ankle around, but the paw didn’t budge.

“Mrow.” Another pull.

“If you rip my trousers, we’re going to have an issue.”

“ _Brrr_.”

“ _Brrrr_ yourself.” Sirius stifled his laughter behind his hand and leaned his head on James’ shoulder, which trembled with silent snickering. “Ugh, fine.”

Remus knelt on the ground and the cat removed its paw. If Sirius didn’t know better, he would have thought it raised an eyebrow. Slowly, deliberately, without breaking eye contact, the mysterious cat shuffled forward, leaned in, and rubbed both its cheeks against Remus’ with a low purr.

“Made a friend, have you?” Sirius said as the cat stepped back and began sauntering toward the trees to their right.

“I think she wants to show us something.”

“Excuse me?”

Instead of elaborating on his incredibly cryptic and unhelpful comment, Remus stood up and began following the cat.

“Remus,” Lily called. “Remus, I know you’re not big on teamwork but would you care to tell us why the _hell_ we should follow a random cat into the very dark, very creepy woods?”

“Just trust me.”

“Wow, that’s the opposite of an answer.” James sighed.

Remus paused at the edge of the trees and gestured in exasperation. “Well, I’m not just going to leave you all here, but we’re going to lose her if you keep on standing around. Do you trust me or not?”

“Are you feeling alright?” Peter asked carefully. “It’s been a hard few days—"

Remus huffed. “I’m not going crazy. And for what it’s worth, I trust you. All of you. Can we please just follow the cat now?”

“Alright.” Sirius stepped forward and met Remus’ gaze. “I trust you.”

A flicker of surprise crossed his face, followed by a slight smile that sent Sirius’ insides tumbling over each other until he was sure everything was upside down and backwards. “Thanks.”

“Lead the way, cat whisperer,” Dorcas said as she peered through the trees. “Huh, would you look at that. She’s waiting for us.”

Sure enough, the cat was perched on a pile of tree roots, grooming one of her paws with the air of someone who simply could not be bothered by their petty arguments. “Doesn’t get much clearer than that,” James admitted.

The last of the sunlight was gone a mere five minutes into their journey, leaving them all stumbling along in the slivers of moonlit that filtered through the branches overhead. Marlene and Dorcas had the right idea in Sirius’ opinion—their tightly-clasped hands prevented any sudden stumbles that could take the whole group down yet again.

“Where are you taking us?” Sirius murmured as he missed another low-hanging branch by the thinnest of margins.

The cat trotted gracefully down a winding slope and disappeared around the curve. “Be careful here,” Remus warned, bracing one arm against a nearby tree as he started to step down. “It doesn’t look all that—" With a loud scraping noise, the rock he was stepping onto gave way and skidded into the darkness. Sirius lunged forward without a second thought and grabbed his wrist, leaning back with all his weight as the rock bounced off the walls of a deep ravine that none of them had noticed. “—steady,” Remus finished.

He pushed against the tree just as Sirius pulled on his arm, and they ended up bumping chests as he straightened. “You okay?” Sirius’ voice was weak even in his own ears.

“Yeah. Thanks.” Remus sounded even more breathless than when he had nearly fallen down a cliff; it would have been flattering if Sirius could focus on anything other than the way the moonlight caught the side of his face.

“So, the cat ditched us,” James said dryly. Sirius carefully let go of Remus' wrist, but he reached down and folding his palm around his fingers. What was that saying Euphemia was so fond of? _Cold hands, warm heart_?

“On the contrary, dear boy, I believe she brought you exactly where you needed to be.” A silver-blue light bobbed along the ravine path like a star come down to Earth.

“Who are you?” Lily asked suspiciously.

“My name is Albus Dumbledore.” As the light came closer, Sirius could make out the face of an old man with a long, white beard walking toward them. “Minerva has a knack for finding lost souls wandering about in the woods; I do hope she wasn’t too pushy with you.”

“Where is that light coming from?” Marlene squinted as Albus Dumbledore reached the top of the hill. He chuckled and thumped his tall walking stick twice on the ground—the light dimmed, spreading into a softer glow that illuminated everyone’s faces.

Dumbledore looked even older up close, yet there was a youthful twinkle in his eye that was equal parts inviting and unsettling, like he knew several things they did not. “Magic, of course.”

“Magic?” Peter’s skepticism was palpable. “Um. Alright.”

“Would you like to come back to my cottage for the night? It gets quite cold around here this time of year.”

“We really appreciate the offer, Mr...Dumbledore, but I think it would be best if we kept going. We have a long way to travel and not much time,” Dorcas said. In the gentle light, Sirius could see her hand twitching for Marlene’s, as it often did when she was anxious.

“Ah, yes, your quest to save your parents.” Dumbledore nodded sagely, as if this was old news. “An honorable thing, to be sure, but ultimately unsuccessful. If you insist on going, it will be difficult to pursue without a map.”

Frost covered Sirius’ spine and he saw James stiffen in his periphery. _How did he know about the map?_ “How do you know about our parents?” Marlene’s voice was low and dangerous in a way that Sirius heard very rarely.

“I know a great many things, Marlene of Tidoras, but I have very few people to share them with. If you are truly committed to your quest, I can help you on your way. If you choose not to accept my aid, I will send you along with my best wishes and a promise of safe passage through the woods.”

“Team meeting, everyone,” James said without looking away from the old man.

“He creeps me out, but I don’t get any really bad vibes,” Lily said quietly when they huddled up. Sirius glanced back at Dumbledore, who seemed to be deep in discussion with Minerva the cat. “I think he’s just a little off his rocker.”

“He knew about the map, and about our parents.” Dorcas narrowed her eyes. “Something’s not quite normal.”

“I think we should go with him for the night and hear what he has to say,” Sirius said. “Worst case scenario, we leave with a crazy old man’s ramblings and a couple hours of rest.”

“I think the worst case scenario is getting murdered in our sleep, actually.” Peter frowned. “I don’t think he’d do that, though.”

“Any information he can give us is good information,” James sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I vote we go with him.”

“Me, too,” Dorcas said, rather grudgingly. “He’s bizarre, but he hasn’t tried to kill us yet.”

Marlene wrapped her arm around her fiancée’s waist. “I’m with Dorcas.”

James nudged his shoulder. “Sirius?”

“You know I’m on your side.”

“Remus?”

“We’ve got nothing to lose.”

“Pete? Lily?”

“I’m up for trying,” Lily said as Peter nodded.

“Mr. Dumbledore?” James turned around. “We would be honored to spend the night at your cottage.”

“Lovely!” Dumbledore straightened surprisingly smoothly for a man of his apparent age. “Follow me, please, and do be careful of the edge.”

The woods were damn near silent compared to the ones surrounding Varghal. Sirius flexed his jaw as they went deeper into the shadows, their way lit only by Dumbledore’s magical light—there was a faint buzzing in his ears that simply would not go away. He lost track of time within moments, and by the time they reached Dumbledore’s cottage he couldn’t tell if minutes or hours had passed. The shadows all ran together in his vision, broken up by strange pinpricks of multicolored lights that looked like animal eyes but clearly were not.

Minerva was waiting in the open doorway when they arrived, silhouetted by a cheerful orange glow from the fireplace. Next to him, the tension that had melted off Remus during their walk returned with a vengeance, and he balked as they approached. “Are you okay?” Sirius asked as his pupils dilated.

“It smells like smoke,” Remus muttered.

 _It’s ashes. It’s all ashes and there is nothing left_. Of course he wouldn’t want to be around fire. “Do you want to wait outside? We don’t have to go in.”

Remus shook his head, then paused as a fresh plume of smoke curled into the night air and sent a small shiver through him. “I don’t know.”

“My apologies, Remus, I had forgotten.” Dumbledore snapped his fingers and the scent of smoldering logs completely disappeared, leaving only the crisp sweetness of the forest. “I can assure you it is much warmer indoors, if you should choose to come in.”

The welcoming glow of the cottage remained, but the chimney looked as though it had never been used; not a single wisp lingered. As soon as they crossed the threshold, James gripped Sirius’ elbow tightly. “Do you smell—”

“Yeah.”

The cloud of sandalwood and jasmine hit him like a punch to the heart as they entered the main room of Dumbledore’s home. Suddenly, all Sirius could feel was the warmth of Euphemia’s arms around him and Fleamont’s steady hand on his shoulder, both shielding him from the monsters that chased him across the world. He could practically hear the chime of her bangles, could feel the softness of the old shirts that Sirius borrowed until he received clothing of his own. James was there, too, in the sea salt and coconut; somewhere, deep beneath, he heard the familiar laughter of someone he had not seen in a long, long time against the smell of star-shaped sugar cookies fresh from the oven.

“What is this?” Dorcas asked, her voice thick with emotion. “What are you doing?”

“Ah.” Dumbledore’s gaze was full of pity as he looked at them over his half-moon glasses. “That, I am afraid, is not my doing. This cottage was built from the wood of the _storgus_ tree, which is quite comforting to most, though I suppose it would be bittersweet for you. Please, have a seat.”

James cleared his throat, opened his mouth, then and then took another deep breath before trying to speak. Euphemia and Fleamont were the closest thing Sirius had to actual parents, but he had only known them for six years; he couldn’t imagine what this was like for James. “You said you had information for us?”

“I do. To be frank, your quest will not succeed.”

Marlene clung to the armrests of her chair. “It has to. We _will_ get our parents back and stop this war.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that,” Dumbledore chuckled. “You have a strong family here, and I have the feeling you will not let each other down. No, what I mean is that your current plan is doomed to fail in more ways than one.”

Peter exhaled slowly. “So how do we fix it?”

“I’m glad you asked, Mr. Pettigrew. The first problem with your plan is that the caravan will almost certainly cross into Silvalith by tomorrow afternoon. The second is that you are being hunted by Death Eater assassins as we speak, and if Minerva had not brought you here you would have been caught before dawn.” Dumbledore took a sip of his tea. “The third issue has to do with your plans for Tom Riddle.”

“King Riddle?” Lily frowned. “We were going to turn him over to the authorities and expose his corruption.”

“Yes, you were. Please do not take offense to this, but it was quite foolish to believe a man as powerful as Tom Riddle would go quietly out of power. In order to achieve true peace, he must die.”

Dumbledore’s words hung heavy in the room, nearly overpowering the scent of home and family. “We have to kill him?” Sirius asked.

“In one way or another.” The old man looked truly dismayed by this for reasons beyond Sirius’ grasp. “Therein lies your final challenge, of course: how to do it?”

“Dorcas and I are both archers,” James offered, though he looked rather sickened by the idea. “If we catch him in front of a window, we might have a chance.”

“I admire your nerve, but it is not so simple as that. Tom Riddle comes from a land of magic, the same land I used to call home before it was destroyed by war. He can only be killed with a weapon from the place of his birth, and the world can only heal if his evil is obliterated.” Dumbledore took another long sip of tea as Minerva curled up on the nightstand next to Dorcas’ elbow.

“Destroyed?” Remus said softly. “He’s not from…?”

“He is not from your homeland, no,” Dumbledore assured. “Tom Riddle and I both hail from what is now called the Wildland.”

“But nobody lives there,” Dorcas protested. “It’s just cracked earth and monsters as far as the eye can see.”

A great wave of sadness washed over his wrinkled face. “Seventy years ago, Tom Riddle attempted to destroy his only physical weakness and become immortal, but his plan backfired and the Wildland became what it is today. What once pulsed with life and magic became a parched wasteland. However, his weakness still resides in the compass rose for those who are pure of heart enough to seek it.”

“Then we’ll start in the morning,” Sirius said. “With seven people searching, we’ll find it for sure.”

Dumbledore held up one hand and took a long sip of tea. “That is very courageous of you, but it will not solve your problems. By the time you travel south, find the dagger, return, and make your way to Os Anguis without discovery, it will be too late to stop the war, not to mention you will lose the trail of your parents.”

“What are you saying?”

“He’s saying we have to split up,” Lily said. “One group has to go to the Wildland while the other tracks our parents down. We would meet in Os Anguis.”

“Absolutely not.” James’ voice brooked no room for argument. “We work as a team. Nobody will get separated ever again.”

The memory of Remus arriving the night before covered in blood, soot, and fear rose unbidden to Sirius’ mind. He couldn’t bear seeing that again with anyone else. “Let’s discuss it in the morning after we’ve had some sleep, okay?” Peter offered. Sirius could hear in his tone that he knew they would have to split up; he was already grieving. The rest of them muttered their assent, and Sirius prepared himself for a long night.

* * *

Waking up in a magic forest was strange. It was quiet except for the gentle buzzing, and the smell of Sirius’ family clung to his throat with every breath. He had slept like a log and didn’t dream once, but the bitter resignation of what was to come laid heavy on his chest when he woke.

He was the first one up, for once, and took a moment to drink in the sight of his friends as they laid at peace. Marlene and Dorcas were facing one another, their foreheads and knees touching so the curve of their backs formed an unconscious heart. Peter was curled in a ball near the heavy curtain of Lily’s vibrant hair; her freckled face was smooth in sleep, making her look more like the girl Sirius had played board games with a mere week prior. James was splayed beneath the blankets, snoring softly—Sirius would never tire of seeing him free of the bonds of responsibility.

And Remus was…well, he was glowing. It was silly to feel that much for one person so fast; Sirius was well aware that he was in too deep for rationality. If he concentrated, he could still feel the tingle of Remus’ hand clasped in his own as he teetered along the edge of a precipice. _That’s fitting_ , he thought wryly. _It feels like this has been one fall after another_. Maybe it was the sun, maybe it was the forest’s magic, or maybe it was Sirius’ irrational brain telling him _that’s the only one for you_ , but Remus shone with a low golden light.

When Sirius finally went into the kitchen, Minerva was sitting primly on the table next to a cup of tea and a small plate of biscuits. “Can cats eat biscuits?” he wondered aloud, only to be met with a disapproving look. “Sorry.”

“Good morning.” Dumbledore entered the kitchen in long blue robes and a tall hat decorated with stars, looking every inch the fairytale wizard. “How did you sleep?”

“Quite well, thank you.” Sirius took the proffered scone and tea gratefully.

“This journey will be difficult for you, Sirius Black.” Dumbledore settled into his chair with a mild expression, seemingly oblivious to the way all of Sirius’ blood drained into his feet and left him swaying in his seat. “You will need to face that which you do not wish to.”

“I’m not afraid to face my parents,” he gritted out. “Not anymore. I’ll gladly give them a piece of my mind.”

Dumbledore’s blue eyes sharpened as he finally looked up. “I’m not talking about them.”

Sirius' fury went out like a candle in the wind. He deflated slightly. “I know.”

“Good. You’re an intelligent young man.” Dumbledore spread some frightfully orange jam on a biscuit. “If you can spare an eye, keep it trained on your friends, especially young Remus.”

“Why? What’s going to happen to them?”

“As of right now, nothing out of the ordinary.” Dumbledore paused, them set his breakfast down and faced Sirius fully. “Though, if Remus goes to the Wildland, he will die.”

The temperature of the room dropped twenty degrees. “What's wrong with him?”

“I am not at liberty to say, but I can tell you this: he has hidden depths that the Wildland will take too kindly to, in a manner in which he will not survive.”

“Oh, you’re awake.” James’ drowsy voice broke through Sirius’ spiraling thoughts as he shuffled into the kitchen and took the seat next to Sirius’. He scratched Minerva behind the ears and she purred. “The others will be out soon.”

“Good.”

James squinted at him. “You seem…off. Are you feeling okay?”

“Just worried.” Sirius forced a reassuring smile. “Really, I’ll be fine.”

True to James’ word, the other five members of their party trouped out to the table over the course of half an hour. The meal was the quietest they had ever had together.

“So,” Lily finally said, breaking the silence. “I suppose we should figure out groups.”

“I still think it’s a bad idea,” James offered halfheartedly. “But you’re right.”

“I’ve been to the borders of the Wildland a bunch of times with my dads, so I should be in that group,” Dorcas said as she folded and refolded her napkin. “James, I think it might be best if you came with me, since Marajis and the Eastern Coast are allies.”

“I’ll go with you, too,” Marlene said.

“I don’t know if that’s the best idea,” Sirius said as gently as he could. “You know southern Silvalith like the back of your hand and you can call in favors in Tidoras if we need them. It’s the same with Peter.”

“I’m not leaving my fiancée to go running through a land of monsters without me to watch her back,” Marlene snapped. “I suppose you’re going to go with James, though?”

“No, I’m not.”

James froze, then turned slowly to look at him. “What?”

Sirius’ mouth was dry despite the tea. “I’m going with the Silvalith group.”

“Sirius, we’re a team, you _promised_ —”

“I’m useless in the Wildland, Jamie,” Sirius interrupted. “I have no legitimate ties to the Eastern Coast and I’ve never seen a speck of that place. As much as I want to go with you to the ends of the earth, I can help in Silvalith. Please don’t fight me on this.”

The betrayal on James’ face hurt more than anything Sirius had ever felt. He had promised to stick by James’ side in that stupid, freezing cave, and here he was backing out on it so soon.

“I’ll go with you and Dorcas,” Lily said. “It’s good to have someone on your team who doesn’t use a bow in a fight.”

Remus cleared his throat. "I'll go with you, too--"

"No," Sirius blurted. The table went even quieter. "You can't go with that group."

"...why not?" Remus blinked slowly at him; to his left, James scoffed under his breath.

Sirius took a deep breath and looked to Dumbledore, who remained impassive. _Fucking wizard_. "Just trust me on this, okay?"

"Alright." Remus still looked wary, but he nodded. "I trust you."

“I can provide you with transportation out of the forest and into the Wildland, but you will need to find your own way back from there,” Dumbledore said. "You have approximately an hour before you must go.”

One hour. One lousy hour to steel his nerves and say goodbye to his best friend in the world, his brother, his Jamie. The seven of them stood without another word and began to gather their meager belongings.

Dumbledore took each group aside and gave them a new drawstring bag with a map, a compass, and a variety of oddities that Sirius was half-convinced he put in as a joke. “It is time,” he said at last as one of four cuckoo clocks in the kitchen began to roar like a lion. “James, Dorcas, and Lily, please follow me.”

Though he only called three names, the whole group trailed out of the house and onto the thick moss that coated the ground. The forest was beautiful in the daytime, shimmering and humming with life. The multicolored blots that Sirius remembered from the previous night were actually small balls of rainbow flame bouncing through the trees; from what he could tell, they were also the source of the buzzing noise.

“Wait,” he blurted as Dumbledore raised his arms high above his head. “Can I—can we say goodbye first?”

The old wizard’s face filled with kindness and he nodded. “Of course.”

Sirius was moving before he even thought it through and James met him in the middle, colliding with a harsh gasp. “It’s not goodbye,” he managed around the clog in his throat. “This is not goodbye, okay? I’m so sorry I’m not going with you.”

“I understand,” James said, his desperate voice muffled in Sirius’ shoulder. “I’m sorry I was angry. We’re still a team. A little distance can’t get in the way of that, yeah?”

“Yeah.” With tremendous effort, Sirius released his hold and ruffled up James’ hair, pressing their foreheads together as tears burned his eyes. “Stay safe, Jamie.”

“You, too.”

“Hey, Red?” Sirius called as James walked back toward Dumbledore. “Take care of him for me?”

Lily nodded. “You can count on me.”

“Dorcas? Our window is getting smaller.” Dumbledore’s voice was gentle as he looked over to the last member of the party, who was holding Marlene like it was the last time.

“I love you so much,” Marlene whispered, brushing a stray lock of dark, coiled hair out of her fiancée’s deep brown eyes.

“I love you more,” Dorcas responded, pulling her in for a kiss. Sirius’ chest ached at their love, at the care with which Marlene cradled Dorcas’ face in her hands and the way they seemed to melt together into one person for a moment. _Quite the pair_. Two halves of one soul.

When they finally separated and Dorcas took her place in the circle, Dumbledore began to chant a series of flowing phrases in a strange language. Sirius did not understand it, but he felt as though the meaning of each word was just on the tip of his tongue.

In a flash of light, the trio was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive! The ending of this one hurt to write tbh
> 
> I've added songs that I listened to while writing specific scenes to the end of each chapter, so check those out if you want to!  
> Songs for Chapter 3:  
> \- Noble Maiden Fair for Lily and her mother  
> \- Would That I (Hozier) for Remus and Sirius  
> Please leave kudos and comments! They keep me inspired and motivate me more than you know. I love hearing your thoughts!


	6. The Wildland

If Lily ever saw that fucking wizard again, she was going to kill him. “How’re you doing, Dorcas?” she shouted over the roar of quaking trees and the rumble of the earth.

“I’ve been better!” Dorcas clung tighter to her branch as the trunk groaned beneath her; with each lurching roll, the arrows in her quiver came closer to spilling out.

“James?”

James’ hand slipped on the flat bark and he scrambled to wrap both arms around the tree. “Ask me again when this stops!”

“If we make it out of here, you and I are going to have a discussion about insulting magic lands.” Lily’s heart leaped as the wood beneath her hands gave a threatening creak and she silently cursed her decision to follow a gang of idiots halfway across the world. Maybe if she had just minded her own business and stayed home, she wouldn’t be in this situation.

A strange rustling noise grew steadily louder and she craned her neck to look further into the jungle, where the canopy swayed in the earthquake. “I think something’s coming!” Dorcas warned.

“I’d rather face shaking ground than being eaten alive,” James said as be began to slide down his perch.

“Agreed,” Lily and Dorcas chorused. _Alright, Lils, step-by-step. Imagine you’re at home_. Trees in Bailey were easy to climb—their gnarled knots and sturdy branches were ideal for long afternoons spent climbing toward the sky with little fear of falling. These trees, on the other hand, had sand-smoothed bark and made her hands itch when she touched them.

She made it halfway down before her foot missed a spot and her palms, soaked in fear sweat, skidded into open air. The cracked ground was hard as stone when she smacked down and her breath disappeared in a single huff, making her vision turn black for a moment. “Lily!” Two warm hands dragged her into a sitting position and a blurry form appeared. “Are you hurt?”

“Dorcas,” she wheezed as soon as the first wisps of air entered her lungs. “Fine. ‘m okay.”

“Good. Come on!” Lily stumbled upright and kept a tight hold on Dorcas’ wrist as the three of them sprinted deeper into the forest, away from the sunbaked wasteland where they had first been dropped. It was, unsurprisingly, quite difficult to run when the earth made a point of trying to turn itself inside out every few seconds; Lily was sure her shoulders would be bruised from bumping into everything within three feet of her.

The rustling turned into screeching and they poured on speed, but they weren’t fast enough to outrun the _things_ coming in behind them. Lily had heard stories of the monsters of the Wildland: massive boars with metal tusks, sand worms the size of rivers, and flesh-eating deer were some of the frequent characters in fairy tales. She had never believed them before.

Dorcas let go of her hand and spun around, nocking an arrow and firing into the trees in record time. There was an earsplitting scream and a huge bird dropped from the tangle of vines, its razor-sharp beak open wide enough that Lily could see the rows of teeth inside. “We can’t outrun them! James, give me a hand!”

James was already in motion and a second bird fell moments later with a red-feathered arrow embedded in its neck. Lily drew her axe—the wave of rippling vines overhead were interspersed with feathers in a rainbow of colors, and the cacophony of shrieking bird calls was deafening.

The first dive-bomber was met with a shorter, blue-fletched arrow as Dorcas turned her attention from shooting blindly into the group to picking them off one by one. “We can’t do this forever,” James yelled. “Sooner or later, we’ll run out of arrows, and I don’t know where we’ll get new ones.”

And, miraculously, the ground stilled. The monsters flew back into the canopy and disappeared with a soft _shush_ of leaves. The only trace of their existence were five dead birds sprawled around the glade. “James, what did you do?” Lily asked cautiously, keeping her axe ready just in case.

“...I don’t know.”

“It’s really quiet,” Dorcas said. “I don’t like it.”

“Do we keep walking?”

“Hang on a second.” James lowered his bow and crept toward the corpse of a falcon-like creature, reaching out on hand to grasp his arrow by the shaft. With a sharp tug, it came free, and the bird disintegrated into a patch of--“Is that _moss_?”

“What the fuck?” Lily murmured.

“These are gryphons,” Dorcas said as she followed James’ lead and collected her arrows. “I’ve seen them flying above the border once or twice, but they never came close enough to be an issue and they never travel in packs.”

“So the Wildland is out to get us?” Lily rolled her eyes. “I wonder whose fault that is.”

James sighed deeply. “Look, it was a simple observation and I wasn’t exactly expecting the whole place to take offense.”

“It’s magic! That’s what magic places do!”

“How would you know?”

“How would _you_?”

“Will both of you give it a rest?” Dorcas interrupted in exasperation. “At least now we know what to expect. We should get started on looking for the weapon if we want to have any hope of catching up to the others.”

“Dumbledore gave us a map, right?” Lily set the rucksack down and loosened the drawstring. Carefully, she poured the contents out onto the ground and began sifting through. “Looks like we have…an empty waterskin, a doll, a square of fabric, and a broken compass. Oh, here it is.”

Honestly, the other items in the bag should have prepared Lily for disappointment. “What?” James asked as her face fell.

“There’s no names or anything, just lines.” She laid it out for all of them to see and weighed down the corners with the other useless objects.

“I’m going to kill that wizard,” Dorcas muttered as she squinted at the map. “Which way is north?”

“No clue.”

James ran a hand through his hair. “Y’know, I thought forgetting a map was bad, but this…”

“So we have a useless map for a monster-infested place none of us have actually been to, and the fate of the world rests on our ability to find a single cryptic spot? That’s not difficult at all,” Dorcas said sarcastically. “Didn’t Dumbledore mention a compass?”

“He said Riddle’s weakness was in the compass rose,” Lily recalled.

“Is there something hidden in the one he gave us?” Without waiting for an answer, Dorcas grabbed the dented bronze compass from the pile of junk and began feeling along the edges. “There aren’t any latches or seams. Do we have to crack it open?”

James shrugged and grabbed one of his arrows. “Can’t get more broken than it already is.”

“No!” Lily snatched the compass away from them. “We’re not just going to shatter it! It has to have some sort of purpose.”

“Does it, though?”

“A wizard gave it to us, right? That means it’s either helpful or cursed and I’m not ready to die from some sort of booby trap you two set off by prying it apart with an arrowhead.” Lily opened the top and watched the needle spin. “I think we should try and follow it.”

“If it’s cursed, we’ll be walking straight into a trap,” James pointed out.

“I think we have worse things to worry about than traps,” Dorcas said. “There are a lot of stories about what lives in here and I’m not keen on getting killed by any of those. Let’s find some water and a safe place to plan before we make any big decisions.”

They set off deeper into the forest, keeping the edge of the woods in sight in case the gryphons came back. Lily’s knees ached from running through an earthquake and she hoped a shelter showed itself soon. The sun was astonishingly bright even through the trees and it was difficult to tell how much time had passed with the glare; Lily’s best guess was that it had been about two hours since they left Dumbledore’s house, but her knowledge of magic was limited to the events of the past twenty-four hours.

More than once, she caught herself looking over her shoulder for the other four members of their party. Sirius' absence was especially strange, and she realized a few minutes into their journey that she had never actually seen James without his living shadow.

During one such time, he caught her eye. “What?”

“Sorry.” She shook her head. “It’s just weird seeing you without Sirius.”

James’ face fell. “Oh. Yeah.”

“What’s the story with that, anyway?”

“What story?”

“He told me he came to live with you when he was sixteen, but most people don’t get adopted by royalty on a whim. He got all weird when I asked where he lived before.”

“Then he probably doesn’t want you to know,” James said, sounding strangely annoyed.

“He doesn’t like talking about it.” Dorcas shared an uneasy glance with James and indignation sparked in Lily’s chest.

“Oh, so you know what happened, too?” When they both stayed quiet, her frustration grew. “I get that I’m not some high-born royal but that doesn’t mean you can just ignore me.”

“This has nothing to do with your status.” James stopped in his tracks. “For your information, I’m not royalty.”

“You’re a prince!”

“No, I’m not! My dad is an elected official for the mainland because the last one’s kid didn’t want to continue,” he snapped. “And I don’t plan on following in his footsteps.”

Next to Lily, Dorcas’ eyes widened, and James looked like he regretted his words. “What?”

“I thought you knew.”

“No,” she said, clearly upset. “James, I thought you wanted that.”

“I’m missing something,” Lily said, holding up her hands for a time-out. “What’s happening? You can’t just give up a monarchy, can you?”

“Like I said, the Eastern Coast doesn’t have a monarchy,” James sighed. “Each of the islands, including the mainland, elects a representative when the previous one steps down and their heir decides not to take their place. My dad was elected a few years after I was born and I…I don’t want to do that.”

Dorcas frowned. “Did one of the others say something to you? Hang on, have you even told your parents yet?”

James shook his head. “You guys are my best friends; this has nothing to do with you. And no, not yet.”

“How long have you been thinking about this?” He was quiet. “ _James_.”

“A couple years.”

From the look on Dorcas’ face, he may as well have smacked her between the eyes. “But you—at the councils—does _Sirius_ know?”

Lily didn’t think it was possible, but James’ shoulders shrank in further. “I was planning on telling him after we got home. My parents would be so disappointed in me if they knew.”

Dorcas’ anger softened. “No, they wouldn’t.”

“They’ve been preparing me my whole life and I’m throwing it away.”

“What’s your plan?” Lily asked at last.

James’ eyes flickered over to her and his face flushed. “My granddad builds and sails ships for all the islands. I want to work with him.”

“That doesn’t sound like throwing your life away to me. You’d be really, really good at that,” Dorcas said. “James, your parents are good people. They’ll love you no matter what and I’m sure once you explain, they’ll understand.”

“Maybe,” he muttered. “After what happened to Sirius—”

“Your parents are not Sirius’ parents.” Dorcas’ voice was firm. “You know that.”

 _Right back where we started_ , Lily thought. “What’s the deal with Sirius’ parents?”

James hesitated for a moment, then started walking again. “Sirius used to be part of a super wealthy and ambitious family that wanted him to continue their bid for power. They were involved in some really nasty stuff, a lot of corruption and such, and he told them he wanted to no part in it. They disowned him within a week.”

“It was a huge deal among the upper-class families,” Dorcas added, her face stormy. “People called it the scandal of the century.”

“It happened at a big party, too.” James frowned. “He still won’t tell me the whole story.”

“Shit.” Lily didn’t know how to respond to that. “I don’t think he believed me when I told him he was a good person. That explains why.”

“I swear he’s vainer than a cockatiel sometimes, but his mother took it upon herself to make sure his self-esteem scrapes the floor. Horrible woman.”

“If I ever meet her, I’ll kick her in the kneecaps for him,” Lily said, earning herself a bark of laughter from James.

“I’d pay to see that,” Dorcas snorted. “I met her once when I was a kid, and once was enough.”

“What’s her name?” Lily asked.

James sighed. “Walburga Black.”

Lily’s stomach dropped to her feet.

* * *

Lily was still thinking about their conversation as they set up camp in an abandoned cave lit by dim crystals that dripped condensation onto the ground. Walburga and Orion Black were notorious for exploiting workers and getting away with it due to their wealth; Lily had heard traders and woodcutters cursing their names in taverns more times than she could count.

But Sirius? Protective, reckless Sirius who made a point of cheering up the group whenever they needed it? It was hard to believe he was raised in a family like that. _I suppose that’s the point_ , she thought as she spread her cloak over the damp moss and laid down. _He’s not like them, and they hate him for it_.

Sixteen years old. When Lily was sixteen, her father taught her to use the largest saw he owned; at the same age, possibly the same _time_ , Sirius had been thrown out of his family and sent across the continent. _I still had a fucking bedtime_ , she realized just as she was about to doze off. The urge to hit Walburga Black with a chair increased.

Needless to say, Lily didn’t sleep well that night. She kept watch until sunrise, when James and Dorcas woke up and they agreed to follow the compass’ needle on the off-chance Dumbledore was actually trying to help them in his secretive way.

“I miss them,” James said around a mouthful of ham, cheese, and bread when they stopped by an unnaturally large tree for lunch. “I miss them a lot.”

“Me, too,” Lily admitted. It was silly, but even the sandwiches made her heart ache with homesickness. “The sooner we find this mysterious weakness, the sooner we can get back.”

“You know we’re friends when you don’t even have to clarify who you’re talking about,” Dorcas smiled weakly. The conversation dulled after that until they began walking again. “So, Lily, tell us about Bailey.”

“What about it?”

Dorcas shrugged. “Anything. The rest of us have known each other for years, but I don’t know much about you yet, beyond the fact that you can crush us all at board games.”

Lily laughed. “Well, it’s a pretty small place. I think you can see most of the town out the window of my mum and dad’s house.”

“Your dad’s a merchant, right?” James asked, walking backwards to face them.

“A woodsman,” she corrected. “He was supposed to go to Varghal to discuss lumber prices, but the mill called him in for extra shifts.” A sudden thought struck her and she slowed down. “If he had gone, he’d probably be dead right now. Huh.”

“Are you alright?” Concern laced James’ voice. “Lily?”

“What? Oh, yeah, I’m—I’m okay. It’s just weird to think about.”

“What do you do for fun?” Dorcas quickly changed the subject. “When you’re not on life-or-death quests with a bunch of strangers, of course.”

“I don’t think any of you count as strangers anymore,” she said with a half-smile. “Um, I climbed trees a lot when I was little and went for walks in the woods. They change a lot between seasons and there are all sorts of animals. In winter, all the neighborhood kids used to get together and build forts for snowball fights.”

“I wish we got snow,” James mused.

“Frystmark is hoarding it,” Dorcas joked. “We should get Remus to ship some to the rest of us.”

“You don’t get snow?” Lily supposed she should have known that, but it seemed impossible. Winter was for hot cider, snowmen, and fuzzy socks, not sunshine.

“No,” Dorcas said. “There’s a running joke that Hisanon is where the sun goes when it’s nighttime in other places. We take it from you all since you don’t appreciate it, but that means we don’t have real seasons.”

“We have seasons back home.” James tilted his head slightly as he thought. “No snow, but there’s a lot of wind and rain off the water. Springtime is the best.”

“I love autumn,” Lily said. “It’s strange not being home to see the leaves change this year.”

“Hopefully we’ll be home before winter sets in,” Dorcas said. She paused for a moment. “I forget what day it is.”

“Oh, fuck, Sirius and I were just talking about this.” James scrunched his nose up and counted softly under his breath, frowned, and counted again. “It’s been...seven days since the attack.”

“ _What?_ ”

“I call bullshit,” Lily said immediately. “No way.”

“We spent one night in Hemgard, one in the next town, two with your mum, one with Dumbledore, and one in that cave.” James held up his fingers. “Six nights, seven days.”

“It feels like a month,” Dorcas said. Lily nodded in agreement. “Too much has happened in too little time. We need to keep it to one disaster per day, alright?”

In the distance—but not nearly far enough in Lily’s opinion—something boomed. “You had to jinx it,” James sighed. “Trees again?”

“Gryphons, probably.”

“Let’s run first and discuss later,” Lily suggested, keeping her eyes steadily in the direction the noise had come from. It sounded like heavy footsteps and she _really_ didn’t want to know what kind of creature was big enough to do that. “Go!”

They took off at a sprint, keeping in a close group with their weapons at the ready. She could hear the galloping footsteps growing closer; it was almost as if a herd of deer were all running at the exact same time. _It’s the flesh-eating deer_ , her terrified brain supplied. _All the stories are true_.

“Holy fuck!” James yelped as he looked over his shoulder. Lily glanced backward and saw a bristly hilltop charging through the underbrush at full speed.

No, not a hill. A boar.

“Don’t climb the trees!” she shouted. “We can’t outrun it, but it’ll knock down anything we climb!”

“Those aren’t normal tusks!” Dorcas’ voice cracked with fear. “Is that _metal_?”

“Let’s not find out!”

“If we can’t outrun it and we definitely can’t beat it in a fight, what the hell are we supposed to do?” James nearly tripped over a large root and Lily’s heart stuttered in her throat. She couldn’t bear to lose any of them, and not just because of the promise she made Sirius. All six of those wild, chaotic, wonderful people were her friends now, and she would keep them safe if it was the last thing she did.

 _Come on, come on, there has to be something we can use_ , she thought desperately as she scanned the jungle. Her chest and legs burned from running and she could hear the others panting heavily. Finally, she saw it. “Over there!”

“ _What?_ ” Dorcas shrieked.

“Would you rather get gored?”

“We’ll die either way!”

“It’s less of a guarantee here, now jump!” Rather than waiting for an answer, Lily shoved her axe into its place, grabbed Dorcas' hand, and vaulted over the edge of the ravine.

Things got a little hazy after that. The initial drop was short, maybe four feet, before they hit a claylike outcropping that cracked beneath their combined weight and sent them skidding down a steep slope of pebbles, dust, and prickly plants. She lost her hold on Dorcas, but she could hear two different voices alternating between panicked yelling and grunts of pain when they hit a rough patch. The slope came to a sudden end and Lily braced herself for the fall—she hit the rushing water below with a splash, and then everything went dark.

Being underwater was a strange experience. It was quiet, save for the low rumble of the source waterfall that sent her tumbling through the current like a smooth stone. Her senses were completely overwhelmed—her ears popped, her vision was murky, and the only thing she felt was _cold_. The tightness in her chest snapped her out of her shock and she struggled to the surface, breaking through with a gasp.

“James!” she called frantically. She had waded in ponds and the lazy stream by her house before, but she wasn’t the strongest swimmer. To be honest, she had not thought there would be water at the base of the hill. "Dorcas!"

James surfaced with a spluttering cough, saw her, looked around, then immediately ducked under the water again. She bobbed further down the river and hoped with everything in her heart that her half-baked plan hadn’t accidentally killed two of her friends.

There was a splash behind her and she turned as quickly as she could, only to see James and Dorcas struggling against the current. “Head for the bank!” James yelled, leaning back and kicking his feet. He was holding Dorcas tight to his chest; she looked terrified. “Lily, hurry!”

Lily paddled as hard as she could until she reached a tangle of grass and used it to haul herself out of the river, where she collapsed on her stomach. James splayed on his back on the dry earth and tried to catch his breath while Dorcas coughed up water. “I can’t swim,” she managed, glaring at Lily.

“Sorry. Didn’t think there would be water.”

James’ head lolled to the side and he squinted at her. “You jumped over a cliff not knowing what was below it?”

“In my defense, there was a fucking huge boar with metal tusks chasing us down.”

Dorcas’ coughing turned into giggles, then full-blown laughter; Lily and James followed suit until they were all slightly hysterical with joy and relief. “We just did that,” she gasped. “Let’s never do it again, alright?”

“Deal,” Lily and James said in unison.

“Our stuff must be soaked,” Lily groaned, peeling the bag off her back. She knelt and emptied the contents of the rucksack onto the grass, only to see they were completely dry. “Or…not.”

“Woah.” James scooted closer. “You _were_ underwater, right?”

In lieu of an answer, Lily gestured at her soaked clothing and dripping hair. “Well, he is a wizard,” Dorcas said. “Making a waterproof bag would not be the craziest thing he did.”

“True. Alright, where do we go from here?”

Lily spread the map out again, using river rocks to hold the edges down. The squiggles remained stubbornly solid. “This doesn’t make any more sense than it did yesterday.”

“Hang on.” Dorcas bent over the map and traced the thick lines, then looked around them. “Yes, it does. Does this look familiar to you?”

Lily looked at where she was pointing, then glanced around the clearing. The wobbly shape on the map was the exact same as the waterfall in the distance. “Oh.”

“Which means this…” Dorcas traced down the squiggle and tapped the page. “Is about where we are.”

“So where are we supposed to go?”

“Wait. Wait, wait, wait.” James poked Dorcas on the shoulder. “It’s ‘in the compass rose’, right? Four corners. Four _countries_.”

Dorcas’ eyes widened. “You don’t think…”

Lily scanned the map until she saw an intersection. “That’s where the borders meet, isn’t it?”

“The Middle Kingdom.” James touched one section, then moved clockwise. “Marajis. The Wildland. Silvalith. Four countries that meet at one point.”

“That’s where we need to go,” Lily breathed. “I’m so glad you two are on my team.”

“It’s not far, come on!” James and Dorcas helped her stuff Dumbledore’s items back in the rucksack and they hurried away from the river; Lily could already feel the sun’s heat drying her clothes as they hiked through the tangled plants.

The landscape grew more and more desolate as they drew closer to their destination. The earth, which had been mossy in their cave and drier than a desert outside of the forest, was the same color and texture as slate. The twisting plants were blacker than charcoal and just as brittle—it even smelled dusty. Dead. Leeched of all life. If a shadow had a scent, this was it.

The ground dipped as they neared the center of the crater; everything around it had been blasted smooth and shiny by some enormous force, and in the middle of the shallow pit laid a rusty dagger. It didn’t look special, and if Lily didn’t know better she would have dismissed it as a useless relic. “There it is,” she said, pointing to the blade.

James picked his way around broken stones and thorny plants. “Will it fit in the bag?”

“I don’t think you should touch it with your bare hands,” Dorcas said. “Your track record with magic things so far has not been great.”

“It was _one comment_ ,” James grumbled, though he did refrain from grabbing the dagger. “That doesn’t count as a track record.”

“Still.” Dorcas stepped behind Lily and reached into the bag, then emerged with the piece of fabric. “This should work.”

Carefully, James reached down with the cloth and wrapped King Riddle’s weakness up.

As soon as the dagger left its place, the ground began to shake and a mighty roar grew around them. “Really?” James yelled as he clambered back up to them and shoved the package in Lily’s bag. “Again?!"

“We should aim for Hisanon!” Dorcas shouted over the howling. “We’ll find help there and it's safer than the Middle Kingdom!”

Neither Lily nor James was particularly inclined to argue, so they followed Dorcas’ lead, stumbling over debris and the gale force winds. The forest teemed with life, but they didn’t stay to meet it and instead crashed through the underbrush until they emerged in a stretch of land similar to the desert they had arrived in.

“That way!” It was too loud to hear Dorcas’ words, but her mouthed message was clear as she pointed toward a long line of grass a few hundred feet away. The tumult grew as they ran; Lily was sure something was following them out of the trees and she focused her attention on the pounding of her feet against the ground instead. _Do not look back_.

As soon as they tumbled into the grass, the air turned fresh and the trembling ground stilled. Lily took a deep breath of the sweet breeze; she had not realized how stale the air of the Wildland was until it was gone. James whistled lowly next to her when he looked back from where they had come. Above the treetops, gryphons flapped and screamed, and the whole place looked like it was rioting against an unseen enemy.

“I’m glad we got out of there,” he muttered.

Just as Lily was about to agree, the bag grew unbearably hot against her back. She untangled its straps and practically threw it to the ground; it rattled and smoked for a moment, then went quiet. She poked it carefully with her toe. When nothing happened, she untied the drawstring and let the contents spill out.

The dagger steamed as she peeled the covering away and all three of them gasped. The rusted, corroded metal was shiny and pure silver now, revealing an intricate snake with perfect emerald eyes curled up along the hilt and a scale pattern decorating the base of the blade. “It’s pretty, but I still don’t want to touch it,” she said, folding the cloth over it once more.

“Turn around and put your hands up!” a stern voice commanded behind them. Lily whirled around and snatched the bag up for protection as three lithe horses came trotting toward them. Their riders wore leather armor and had their bows trained on their group; as soon as they turned, the horses stopped and the lead rider removed her helmet. Her face was a mask of shock as she dismounted. “ _Dorcas_?”

“Hestia!” Dorcas ran forward and they met in the middle for a fierce hug.

“I thought you were dead,” Hestia said, pulling away to search her for injuries. “The news of the attack on Varghal came in two days ago and we’ve been patrolling the borders ever since. What happened?”

“Silval soldiers and mercenaries raided the city in the middle of the night. They kidnapped the royals and the rest of us barely got away with our lives.” The horses nickered and danced nervously.

“Is Marlene alright?” Hestia asked.

Dorcas paused. “I hope so. We had to split up two days ago.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“She’ll be alright. This is Lily and James. They're friends of mine. Is there a place we can talk about this in private?”

Hestia nodded and looked back to them. “Can either of you ride a horse?” At their nervous expressions, she nodded toward two of her companions. “You can ride with Alice and Emmeline, and Dorcas will ride with me. You should get comfortable; it’s a bit of a trek.”

* * *

Technically, Lily had been less comfortable before, but horseback riding was high up on her list of 'never do it again'. Emmeline was a talented rider and knew everything about the history of the western lands of Marajis while Alice chatted the whole way about nothing in particular. It was hilarious seeing James wrap his arms around the waist of a girl who was at least six inches shorter than him while he tried not to slip off the saddle.

“Where are you from?” Emmeline asked as the sun began to set and the high grasses turned a million shades of copper and rose; not for the first time, Lily wished she was an artist so she could remember it forever.

“The Middle Kingdom, up north in a town called Bailey. You?”

Emmeline pointed to a distant shadow of buildings. “That’s my hometown, Fansen.”

“Vance?”

“ _Fan-_ sen,” Emmeline repeated. “The second ‘n’ is soft.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay, a lot of people get it wrong the first time. What are you doing so far away?”

“It’s…kind of a long story. Are you one of Dorcas’ friends?” Up ahead, Dorcas and Hestia were talking in low voices.

“The four of us learned to ride together,” Emmeline explained with a fond look on her face. “Hestia became captain of the border guard a year ago and specifically requested that Alice and I be on her team. Dorcas was a little busy, as you can imagine.”

“I bet,” Lily laughed. “It must be nice to work with your friends all the time.”

She nodded. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. We miss Dorcas, though.” There was a moment of hesitation before her muscular shoulders sank. “We were so worried about her.”

“We were lucky,” Lily said. If she closed her eyes and concentrated, she could still smell the acrid smoke of the wall in flames, still hear the screams and the howling of wolves. “Really, really lucky.”

“Is it true? Varghal was burned? The rumors are vague at best and—”

“Yeah.” A lump rose unbidden to her throat as she remembered the beautiful frozen lake and the mountain fortress, whose people welcomed them with open arms. “It was the middle of the night. There was no warning. They lit the gate on fire and killed anyone they came across. Remus—he’s the prince who helped us escape—he went back and said there was nothing left.”

Emmeline swore under her breath. “I’m going to assume you three were in the Wildland for a reason, but I’m not going to ask why. I’ll help you find whatever you need.”

“Thank you.”

A sharp whistle pattern drew both their attention and Lily’s jaw went slack. Ahead, a magnificent city rose against darkening sky, lit by a thousand torches that made it glow like a miniature star. “Welcome to Hisanon,” Emmeline said, sounding rather smug. “Capital of Marajis.”

Lily and James were a little wobbly once they dismounted the horses, but Dorcas was steady on her feet and nearly vibrating with joy to be home. Lily could relate—entering Bailey after the chaos of the previous days had been the best feeling in the world. “Hestia and I are going to talk for a while, but I think you two should get some sleep,” she said as they stopped outside a large building.

“You need to rest, too,” Lily protested. “We can do it as a group in the morning.”

Dorcas gave her a gentle nudge on the arm. “Princess, remember? I have a lot to get done, but I promise I’ll sleep. We’re safe here, don’t worry.”

“Sleep well, Dorcas, and good luck.” James blew out a long breath as she walked away arm-in-arm with Hestia. “And then there were two.”

“And then there were two,” Lily echoed.

“I really hate splitting up.”

“Same.”

Alice appeared from the stables with Emmeline behind her. “We have some rooms for you to stay in,” she said. “And food.”

Lily had never followed someone faster and probably never would again. The guest rooms were cozy and cool against the rippling heat of the prairie outside and she reveled in the change; she was starting to overheat in her vest and long pants. Emmeline and Alice kindly refrained from asking them any more questions until they were done shoving bread and meat into their mouths—Lily would never be a picky eater again, holy _fuck_ —and pointed them toward the washroom when they were done.

Rivers were nice and did an amazing job of getting into every nook and cranny, but there was no feeling like scrubbing down in clean, fresh water that wasn’t full of silt. Lily stayed in the tub until the water was cold enough to make her shiver before rebraiding her hair and slipping into loose pajamas with an intricate pattern.

“Where’s James?” she asked when she entered the room again and found Emmeline snacking on some of the dates.

“His room is next door,” she said casually, then did a double take. “It’s okay, you’re safe here. The doors aren’t locked, so you can go wherever.” Lily managed a half-smile and settled down onto a cushion. Emmeline’s face softened. “You really aren’t comfortable apart, are you?”

“I haven’t slept alone in over a week,” she confessed, a little embarrassed. “In almost every place we’ve stayed, we’ve been attacked or forced to split up. I’m already worried about the others.”

“Who else was with you?”

“Marlene, her friend Peter, James’ best friend Sirius, and Remus, the prince of Frystmark. They’re somewhere in the Middle Kingdom right now, I think.”

“Dorcas has mentioned Remus before. They’ve been friends for ages.”

Something in Emmeline’s tone prickled at the back of Lily’s neck. “You don’t like him?”

“Never met him.”

A realization dawned on Lily. “...you like Dorcas.”

“No,” Emmeline said far too quickly. “She’s engaged.”

“To Marlene, not Remus.”

“I know.” Some of the defensiveness melted away. “I’m one of her bridesmaids.”

“I’m sorry.”

Emmeline shrugged halfheartedly. “I’d rather be there as a friend than not at all, you know? The worst part is, Marlene is awesome and they love each other _so_ _much_. I’m happy for her, but…”

Lily reached over and gently squeezed her arm. “Hey. You’re an amazing woman and anyone would be lucky to have you.”

“You’ve known me for five hours.”

“And in that time you’ve carried me on your horse back to your city, told me about your hometown, and let me take my first real bath in about three days. Don’t sell yourself short.”

Emmeline looked up from her hands. “I meant what I said earlier. If there’s anything you need for your quest, I’ll help you get it. Sorry, I should probably let you sleep now.”

“See you tomorrow?”

“You bet.”

Lily smiled and Emmeline headed back into the hallway, leaving one torch burning in the holder by the door. The sheets were soft as Lily slipped into the bed; she stared at the ceiling for an indeterminate amount of time as the sound of the city outside slowly died down. She tried closing her eyes, counting sheep, and about a million different sleeping positions before giving up and padding into the hall.

She knocked on the door to the right of her own as quietly as she could, just in case. It swung open a few moments later--James looked exhausted and wide awake at the same time. “Hey.”

“Hey. Can I come in?” He held the door open further in answer and they sat next to each other at the foot of his bed. “You stopped flirting with me.”

“What?”

“Before we got to Dumbledore’s you were insufferable,” she said with a faint laugh. “But since then, you’ve been awfully normal.”

James flopped onto his back and the bed bounced as she stretched out as well. “You seemed uncomfortable. You’re awesome and strong and funny, and I’d rather be your friend than chase you away by being some gross guy."

“You’re not gross. Awkward, yes. A little over the top, definitely. Mildly annoying at times, but never gross.”

“Thanks?”

“You’re welcome.” A few beats of silence hung between them. “I’m sorry about Sirius.”

James exhaled and his nose whistled a bit—to her surprise, it was almost endearing. “I’m more worried about him than anything. It’s my job to protect him.”

“I’m a hundred percent sure he thinks it’s the other way around.”

“That’s just who he is. Sirius finds someone he cares about and goes all in, and it’s gotten him bruised more than once. It’s just…he’s never left me before and I’ve never left him, either. Six years and the only time we’re apart is the councils.”

“Why did he come this year?”

There was a light laugh next to her. “My parents thought he’d keep me in line.” Lily chuckled at the idea and soon they were both muffling their laughter into their hands. “Even though that was doomed to fail from the start, I’m glad he was there.”

“Same here.” Lily bit her lip. “Can I stay here tonight? It feels weird being alone now.”

“Absolutely. I can sleep on the floor if you want?”

“Please don’t, I’d feel bad.”

“Alright.” They both curled up under the covers and for about ten seconds, the only sound was their breathing. “Night, Lils.”

“Sweet dreams, James.”

* * *

When Lily awoke, a cool breeze from the window ruffled her hair and the sounds of a bustling city filled the air. James was on the other side of the bed, his arms and legs spread at strange angles in contrast to her own tight ball. She stretched her legs out, relishing in the pop of her back and the heavenly mattress.

“James.” She poked him on the shoulder. “James, wake up.” When he didn’t budge, she shook him lightly. “ _James_.”

He sniffled and batted her hand away. “Five more minutes.”

Lily rolled her eyes as she climbed out of the bed and wandered back to her own room. There was no harm in letting him sleep, but they would have to leave at some point today if they wanted to have half a chance of catching up to the rest of the group. Emmeline knocked on her door a few minutes after she had finished washing her face with a neat pile of clothes in her arms.

“Here,” she said as she handed them over. The rough green and brown fabric of Lily’s vest and pants had never been so vibrant, and she saw that someone had stitched the torn edges of her sleeves with a careful hand. Something embarrassing stung her eyes as she traced the familiar fabric.

“Oh. Thank you.” She had never been so far from Bailey before; Emmeline's kindness was jarring in comparison to the unrelenting terror of the last few days. Lily took a deep breath before looking up. “James is still asleep, sorry.”

Emmeline shrugged. “I can dump some cold water on him if he’s not up in twenty. Dorcas is in the dining hall if you wanted to meet up.”

By the time Lily was done getting dressed, James was awake and rustling around in his room. She knocked on the door. “I’m heading to the dining hall to see Dorcas, d’you want to come with me?”

“One second!” There a thump and a muffled curse and James appeared in the doorway a moment later with his hair sticking up at all angles. “Alright, let’s go.”

The dining hall was not hard to find—a long line of people stood outside and Lily and James only made it through because Alice recognized them. At the end of an intricately-carved table, Dorcas was up to her elbows in paperwork. “Morning,” Lily said as she took a seat next to her. “Did you sleep?”

“I did.”

“How long?”

“Well enough. Hestia made me go to bed just after ten and I slept until eight, which was nice.” Dorcas glanced up at her and cracked a smile.

“Excellent.”

“I was thinking we’d leave around eleven?” Dorcas said, turning back to her work. “That way I can get a bit done here while you two pack our stuff. Emmeline and Alice can help you find good horses.”

James, who had taken the seat on her other side, went ashen. “We’re riding horses again?”

“Unless you’d like to spend eight or nine days walking, yes. Don’t worry, you’ll pick it up easily enough.” Dorcas shuffled through a sheaf of requests and sighed. “I’ll try to meet you in the stable at ten-fifty, okay?”

“See you then.”

The horses of Hisanon were well-trained and absolutely beautiful—Emmeline shone with pride as she talked about their incredible stamina and speed. “If I had to wager a guess, I’d say you’ll be near Bailey in three or four days, tops,” she said, absently stroking a mare’s black-and-white nose as it nuzzled her for treats.

Riding was the real challenge; Lily nearly fell off several times despite the sturdy saddles and Alice’s close instructions. In the two hours they had to prepare, she learned more than she would ever have dreamed of about proper techniques and how to hold her seat. Her thighs and lower back ached when she finally dismounted to help James load their supplies.

“Good choices,” Dorcas said as she entered the stable and made a beeline for a golden horse at the end of the stable. She wrapped her arms around its neck for a moment and it whinnied softly, nosing at her face and hands for more pats. It followed her out of the stall without any lead and Lily marveled at the ease that settled into Dorcas’ whole body. “Ready to go?”

“Are you?”

“I’ll be back,” she said, casting a glance at the city outside. In the noon sunlight, she truly looked like a queen. “At the end of this, we’ll all go back home and things will be better.”

As they set out northwards at a steady walk, Lily found herself believing that more and more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We can have a little bit of Jily, as a treat.
> 
> It's been three weeks! Holy fuck! This chapter has been driving me insane until I was possessed by the writing gods and slammed it out in seven straight hours of writing. Sorry for the wait; I hope you enjoy! Thank you to everyone who has left comments on this story and bears with me through the nightmare that is scheduling--I re-read your kind words every time I need a motivation boost and it always does the trick.


	7. The Chase

Life without James sucked. Really, it did, and Sirius was feeling the full effects within ten minutes of his absence, when Dumbledore began dropping hints that he wanted them to leave his cottage as soon as possible. They obliged all too happily, but it felt _wrong_ to only have four people where there should have been seven.

Marlene wrung her hands together as they made their way through the sun-dappled forest, reaching back into empty space whenever something snapped in the bushes. More than once, Sirius looked over his shoulder for James; he itched with the absence.

None of them really led the group, either—it was more like wandering in a loose pack, all on edge with nobody willing to take control entirely. Lily and James were the unspoken leaders, after all, and Dorcas was their glue. Sirius hated leading groups, and for all her talk, he knew Marlene preferred being the right-hand woman. It was one of the many reasons they got along so well.

“Are we camping here for the night?” Peter asked as the afternoon arrived and they settled in a glade for lunch. Dumbledore’s warning about Death Eaters tracking them into the woods hung over their heads like an anvil waiting to fall, despite his promise that they would be safe on their journey out.

“I’d rather not leave a safe place any sooner than we have to,” Sirius said as he pulled the last of Hope’s sandwiches out of his bag. They were battered and on their last legs, but edible. “Dumbledore said the Death Eaters avoided the forest, right?”

“Yeah.” Marlene waved an inquisitive ball of purple fire away. The magic flames were like little birds, following them down each path and bringing warm, glittering breezes wherever they passed. “Besides, it’ll take the other team days to get back from the Wildland. Even if the old man dropped them directly on top of the weapon, they’ll probably be gone for a week or more.”

“We can’t stall for too long,” Remus muttered. A vivid blue flame whooshed beneath his nose and made him sneeze. “I hate the idea of moving too far without them, though. Maybe we can go toward Glastam first and gather some information? We can track some leads while buying them time to search. I’d rather not cross the border without them if we can help it.”

“Wasn’t crossing the border the whole point of splitting up?” Peter took a large bite of his sandwich. “I mean, if we find the caravan…”

Sirius winced. They had come all this way to find their parents; the thought of facing Euphemia and Fleamont and confessing that he had left James behind was unbearable. “We’ll do what we have to do,” he said at last, though each word pained him. “If we find the caravan, we’ll break your parents out and take them with us, then wait for the others.”

“We won’t enter the city without them,” Remus agreed.

Marlene rubbed the junction of her neck and shoulder where Dumbledore’s bag rested, grimacing. “Where do we go now? If we’re staying the night, we should get near the edge of the woods so we can cover more ground in the morning.”

“Glastam is south, south-east of here,” Sirius said, squinting at the sun’s position. “I say we head that way as long as we can.”

“Sounds good.” Remus brushed the crumbs off his pants and stood, offering a hand to Sirius. He took it after a brief moment’s hesitation, trying not to focus on his calluses or the thin scars tracing across the back of his palm. _Hold steady_ , he reminded himself as Remus’ eyes lingered just a second longer on him than necessary. _There are bigger things to worry about right now_.

His life had been so simple before this. He would wake up, get dressed, accompany James wherever he went as a bodyguard and friend, then go to bed. It was an easy life, a beautiful respite from his past and current state, and yet it seemed so long ago. He hated the fact that his body remembered how to flee so easily; six years of unlearning constant vigilance, wasted.

Sirius breathed deeply as they started off again, allowing the forest to fill him up. It was clear and sweet—unusually so. There was nothing threatening about the feeling, but it was so strange compared to the almost minty scent of Varghal or the rolling earthiness of Bailey. Even Silvalith’s woods, with their towering oaks and singing birches that were perfect for climbing, had an underlying natural aura.

“Do we have any money left?” Peter asked later as the sun began to dip over the distant mountains and turned the sky all manner of colors. “Once we’re out of these woods, we’ll need a place to stay.”

“The last time we stayed at an inn didn’t end so well,” Remus said wryly. “I think we’d be safer in the woods.”

“Winter is on the way and our clothes aren’t meant for cold weather,” Marlene pointed out. “I’d rather fight some Death Eaters than freeze to death on the ground.”

“We can light fires.”

“What about food?” Sirius interjected before the debate derailed them from the issue at hand. “I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not starve and I don’t actually know how to hunt.”

“Eating things from a magic forest seems like a bad idea, too,” Peter added. “We need money.”

Remus shrugged. “I know how to hunt.”

“Really?”

“Import taxes for a frozen tundra in the dead of winter are ridiculous and there are a lot of people to feed. I learned to skin a rabbit when I was eight.”

 _Do not find that attractive_ , Sirius warned himself. _That’s a bloody and gory thing and should not give you butterflies_.

His body, sadly, refused to listen. “Let’s find the edge of the woods and figure it out from there, okay?”

The rest of the group murmured their assent, and they forged on until the last of the sunlight disappeared.

* * *

The second day of their journey started off well enough, much to Sirius’ surprise. The temperature had dropped in the night, forcing them all to huddle together for warmth; nobody wanted to risk chopping branches off a forest like this. They found the road within a few short hours, but almost immediately wished they hadn’t.

Outside the safety of Dumbledore’s woods, a fine layer of frost coated everything. Their breath steamed in the cold and, though their instinctive response was to go back into the magic barrier, they found that whatever spell protected them had broken once they stepped out.

“Do you see any towns?” Marlene asked, pulling her sleeves down over her hands.

“Just houses,” Sirius said apologetically. “And not many, at that.”

Peter shivered. “I’m freezing my ass off out here. Can we ask someone for a map at least?”

“Your ass will be fine,” Remus sighed, though he pulled off his heavy coat and handed it to him. He rolled his eyes at Peter’s hesitation. “Take it, please. I’m plenty warm.”

“I guess this is a welcome break from ten feet of snow, eh?” Marlene teased, nudging him.

The corners of Remus’ eyes crinkled and Sirius’ chest hitched. It was a mere ghost of the smile he had seen all those days ago, but it was a breath of fresh air after the solemn frowns and distant staring. “Exactly.”

“There!” Peter’s exclamation had them all on guard immediately—Sirius’ sword was halfway out of its sheath before he even registered what was happening. “Look, there’s a town!”

“Fuck, Pete, you could’ve led with that.” Marlene blew out a long breath and put her longsword away again. “I thought we were under attack.”

Sirius followed Peter’s line of sight; sure enough, a small clump of chimneys grew more and more apparent as the morning mist lifted. “I thought we agreed not to stay at inns?”

“We can listen for any information,” Peter said. “If the caravan has passed by here, the townspeople will know. Besides, it’s not like regular people are going to know our faces.”

Marlene seemed unconvinced, but a strong wind blew through just as she opened her mouth to argue and a small squeak came out instead. Sirius couldn’t hold down a shudder of his own as his fingers and toes went numb for a solid five seconds. “Oh, _fuck,_ we need to get inside.”

“Yep,” Peter managed, stomping his feet to get some blood flow back into them.

Sirius led the way, gritting his teeth each time a new gust bit to his bones and trying his best not to dwell on the fact that he was, apparently, the new leader. _Hurry up, Jamie_. _If you get eaten by some mutant pig and leave me to guide this quest, I’ll kill you myself_.

They reached the town half an hour later, red-nosed and a blue-lipped as they entered a tavern called the Bronze Kraken in a tumble of half-numb limbs. “Close the damn door!” the barkeep growled, scowling at them. “D’you want us all to freeze?”

“Sorry.” Sirius blew hot air into his hands and nearly collapsed in an open chair near the back wall.

“I don’t think we can sing our way into some lunch here,” Marlene muttered to him as she stretched her legs out beneath the table. The patrons were a rowdy bunch, mostly deep-voiced men with large tankards of ale and other suspicious drinks. The sawdust covering the floor was far too loose for Sirius’ liking and he made the executive decision not to address the general stench of the place.

“The good news is, I can’t imagine Death Eaters coming here,” he said under his breath, scooting his chair in closer.

A dirty towel slapped down on the table edge, making them all jump. “What are you buying?” the barkeep sneered.

“What can we get for this?” Peter asked, digging around in his pocket for their last few coins. The man gave him a disbelieving look, then snorted and took the money.

“You’re lucky I’m in a good mood. Any other day and I woulda thrown you lurkers out.”

“We’re not lurking!” Marlene said indignantly.

He frowned, turning to Sirius. “You let your woman talk like that?”

Sirius didn’t even have to look at her to know she was preparing to curse this idiot to hell and back. “Sorry, sir,” he said quickly, squeezing her arm under the table. “She’s a tad high-spirited.”

He headed back to the bar, shaking his head. “He’ll pay for that,” Marlene snarled under her breath, shaking Sirius’ hand away. “ _Your woman_.”

“Take it easy, we’ll leave as soon as we can. Excuse me?” he leaned over to the neighboring table and turned on his most charming smile.

The two men sitting there gave him the kind of look he would expect from someone who had just stepped in rotten trash. “What?” one of them grunted.

“I was wondering if you’ve seen anyone from Silvalith passing through here recently.”

“Why?”

“Well, my friends and I were going to Varghal—”

The other man snorted. “Oh, you haven’t heard?”

“Heard what?”

“The whole city’s torched. Raiders, they say, though I’m more inclined to think those drunk northern bastards set the place ablaze on accident.” His companion roared with laughter. Sirius felt sick. “I mean, whaddya expect from folks who let their kids roll about with overgrown mutts? They had it comin’, ‘s all I’m saying--”

A loud _bang_ silenced the pub and Sirius barely had time to blink before the man was hauled halfway across the table.

Remus' eyes blazed with fury as he balled his fists in the front of the man's shirt; his chair laid forgotten on the floor. "You know _nothing_ of what happened there," he snarled between clenched teeth. "Say it again."

The man's ruddy face went ashen and Remus gave him a shake.

" _Say it again_ , you fucking coward."

He stayed silent.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Slowly, Remus released him and straightened up. He barely glanced at their table before storming out of the tavern, slamming the door behind him so hard the whole wall shuddered. Sirius shared a wide-eyed look with Marlene, who nodded; he stood, far quieter than Remus had, and followed him out.

There was no sign of a disturbance in the sleepy town, just melting frost and bored people that milled about without any real energy. Remus was nowhere to be found. _Where would you go_? Sirius turned in a slow circle as he wandered along the main road. None of the shops, certainly, and going back to the road without them seemed highly unlikely. A swath of dark green caught Sirius’ periphery. _Of course_.

Stepping into a normal forest was soothing; no strange balls of flame bounced around and nothing hummed in Sirius’ bones, making him itch with the feeling. It even smelled normal, like cold pines and the oncoming winter. Squirrels chattered above him—a small fox with too-large ears scampered across his path as he went in deeper, watching the trees for flashes of tawny hair.

Water rushed ahead, and after a moment he heard soft splashing noises. _Is he…swimming?_ Sirius followed the noise a little further until he came to the bank of a wide river with tumbling white froth. Remus was dangling his legs over an outcropping of weathered rock, tossing stones absently.

Sirius walked down the small slope and sat beside him, staring out over the water. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Those guys were assholes.”

Remus ducked his head with a rueful snort. “Yeah. Yeah, they were.”

“I was kind of hoping you’d give one of ‘em a solid punch to the jaw.”

“I don’t usually start fights.”

“I can go back and do it for you, if you want.”

That drew a light laugh from him; it wasn’t much, but it was enough to bring a smile to Sirius’ face. “No, that’s okay. I’m sorry I fucked up your information gathering.”

“Their information was clearly unreliable.”

“Oh?”

“Mhm. If they had more than two braincells to rub together, they would have known that Varghal was the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen. They would have known that its people were incredibly kind and brave, and that it’s impossible to be there for more than two days without falling in love with it.”

Remus paused mid-throw and folded his hands in his lap, rolling the stone between his fingers. “Careful, people are going to start thinking you’re not talking about the city.”

“Maybe I’m not.”

He stilled and Sirius’ stomach lurched. “Sirius.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He glanced over, but Remus was staring out at the water, lit up in amber against the icy blue. “Please don’t be. I—I want to _so_ badly, you have no idea, but there is so much you don’t know about me.”

“That makes two of us. Well, there’s only one thing to do.” Sirius shifted so he was facing Remus with his legs crossed.

Remus looked up, finally. “You’re not going to push me in, are you?”

“What’s your favorite color?”

He blinked. “What?”

“Your favorite color. If it’s too hard, I can—”

“No, no, it’s just—” Remus laughed and shook his head. “Um, it’s green. Like all this.” He gestured at the evergreen trees overhead with a smile. “In winter, that’s one of the only colors in the snow. What’s yours?”

“I’m a little torn, actually.” Sirius hummed and thought for a second. “Either red or gold.”

“Fancy.”

“Shush, you.” He bumped him on the side. “I like red because James gave me a red shirt my first day in Harindvar. I still have it somewhere, I think. Huh.”

“You didn’t have your own clothes?”

He hesitated. “I thought you knew. Everyone knew.”

“Knew what?”

“I was disowned when I was sixteen and my parents kicked me out. James’ parents took me in.” He laughed humorlessly. “Had to track me halfway across the continent first.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What, you don’t want to know what I did?”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Sirius swallowed. He actively avoided this topic whenever possible, as a general rule, but honesty was important. “My parents are from Silvalith. We were at this fancy party and I…said some things I probably shouldn’t have. They’re big believers in Riddle and his policies, but I had been doing some reading and I pointed out that a lot of people had been hurt in the process. Rather loudly.”

“You? Loud? Never.”

A smile came unbidden to his lips. “Yeah, not my most tactful moment. If you hadn’t noticed, I can be a bit of a hothead. They had me out within a few days and I haven’t seen them since.”

“I used to run away all the time.” When Sirius looked back at him, Remus was watching the trees again.

“Isn’t that a bit dangerous, considering you live in a frozen tundra?”

“Probably, but the cold wasn’t an issue. Thick coats, and all that. I used to run around the woods, looking for hidden tunnels and ponds from my mum’s fairytales until the sun set or someone dragged me home.” A sudden sadness came to his face. “My parents used to be so angry with me.”

“Why’d you do it?”

He shrugged one shoulder. “I was bored. I was overwhelmed. My whole life, I’ve tried to be the perfect prince and the perfect son, and it got to be too much sometimes when I was younger. I still sneak out sometimes, especially on full moons.”

“How rebellious.”

Remus smiled at him. “Dorcas used to get on me all the time about it. She was terrified I’d fall down a cliff in the middle of the night.”

“You’ve been friends for a while, then?”

“Oh, yeah. She and James see each other all the time, but she was always the quietest of the group and we got along well because of that. We used to sit together and read in the Great Hall under these huge blankets until our parents came and found us.”

“Great Hall?” Sirius wracked his brain. “That’s where the feast was, right?”

“Yeah.” Remus squeezed the stone in his hands tightly. “Not much of it anymore.”

“I really am sorry for what happened.”

“It’s not your fault,” he said. “I know I said it was, but it’s not true. Frystmark has a history with opening its borders and I was a little out of it.”

Eyes like a cornered animal, covered in grime and blood, shaking from head to toe… _a little_ felt like an understatement. “A history?”

“You know how there weren’t a lot of people my age?” When Sirius nodded, he tossed the stone into the river. “There was a bad winter when I was…oh, five? Six? I don’t remember it. Anyway, crops died all over the place from early frost and people started coming to Frystmark for help, since we’re used to the cold. We let everyone in and when winter set in, there just wasn’t enough for everyone. People were stealing from each other, fighting for supplies, until even the doors started going missing for firewood. By the time spring came, everyone who was elderly, sick, or too young had died.”

“Fuck,” Sirius said under his breath. “That explains a lot. How did you survive?”

Remus stayed quiet for so long Sirius began to regret his question. Finally, he exhaled slowly and turned to face him with a grave expression. “You need to promise me you’ll keep it a secret.”

“…okay?”

“Sirius, I—”

“ _There_ you are! We’ve been walking around for ages,” Marlene groaned as she stomped down the riverbank with a large sack, Peter on her heels. “I thought you’d run off. Hey, Remus, how’re you feeling?”

A mixture of frustration and relief battled on his face. “Better now. What’s in the bag?”

“Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, courtesy of our dearly detested dickheads in the pub.”

“They bought us food?”

“In a way.” Marlene and Peter settled down on the rock and unlaced the bag, pulling out steaming hot hand pies for each of them. “Don’t worry, I got these from a bakery.”

“With what money?”

Marlene reached out and gave Remus’ shoulder a quick squeeze. “Nobody fucks with my friends. I won this money fair and square with my sword and natural charm. The asshole didn’t need it anyway, and we deserve something nice for a change.”

“She kicked their asses in a fight,” Peter said around a mouthful of pie. “Ugh, these are _so good_.”

“How long is this going to last?” Sirius asked, digging through the sack.

Marlene jangled a small pouch of coins in his face. “Not as long as this will.”

“You’re amazing and I’m so glad we’re friends,” Remus mumbled as he shoveled more food into his mouth. “I was so fucking hungry.”

“You’re sure you’re okay?”

“Mhmm.”

Once they had licked their fingers clean and laid out head-to-head on the rock, listening to the river run below, Sirius allowed himself to relax. His stomach was full and he was finally warm, inside and out. “It’s a bummer we didn’t get any information,” Remus mused.

“We did, actually,” Peter yawned. “The bakery lady said her cousin saw a spooky-looking carriage with Silval flags pass by a day or two ago.”

“ _What?_ ” Sirius and Remus both scrambled to their feet, nearly sliding right into the water. “Why didn’t you say that?”

“Food was most important right then!” Peter said, sitting up. “Besides, aren’t we waiting to cross the border until the others get back?”

“No!” They shouted in unison.

Sirius ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “We agreed to get the caravan if we could and then wait for James and Lily and Dorcas before going into the city.”

“Oh.”

“Oh? _Oh?_ Marlene, back me up here.”

Marlene stood and brushed her pants off. “Look, I want to get my parents back as much as you do, but we missed the caravan already. We’ll be found and killed if we just barge into Silvalith, and I’d rather not die without saying goodbye to the others.”

Unfortunately, that made some sense. Sirius took a deep breath. “Well, what now, then?”

“Now we stick to the plan. We go to Glastam, we double-check any leads, and we try to catch up if we can. For all we know, the carriage could have been someone else’s.”

“We should start walking again,” Remus said, helping Peter up. “The sooner we get there, the better our chances are of finding something we can work with.”

* * *

By the end of the third day, Sirius couldn’t feel his feet. The cold was the same as it had been, but after days of walking down pebbly roads and clambering over rolling hills, he was ready to sleep for the next year. Crashing into his makeshift bed of pine needles next to the fire had never felt so good.

Remus was on first watch; a strange sense of safety came over Sirius at that thought. He slept like the dead, dreaming of nothing but swirling colors against pure blackness, until a loud snuffling sound infiltrated the blessed silence of his mind. He cracked his eyes open, preparing to grumble at Peter for snoring, only to realize the sound was coming from the woods at his head.

 _Oh, shit_ , he thought, carefully craning his neck to see. The fire was little but embers by then, offering only the barest hints of light that made Marlene and Peter glow with reddish orange light. A massive shadow shifted in the trees, grunting and sniffing; Sirius’ stomach dropped to his toes and he squinted to find Remus. _Where are you?_

The log he had been sitting on when they went to sleep was vacant, as was his bed. Sirius couldn’t hear him, either, just the normal forest sounds and the heavy breaths of a gigantic bear. Its huge feet shifted the fallen leaves as it stepped closer to their fire. _Can’t beat it in a fight_. _Can’t outrun it. Marlene and Pete will definitely be too slow since they’d be half-asleep_.

But he might be able buy them time. Sirius moved as slowly as he could, feeling his heartbeat pound in his ears as he reached for his sword. The mere foot between the hilt and his hand may as well have been a canyon. _Here goes nothing_.

Just as his fingers closed around the familiar grip, a low growl raised all the hair on the back of his neck. The bear stopped moving. Different footsteps, lighter and more deliberate, accompanied a new shadow. Sirius couldn’t tell what it was from his angle, but he knew it was only slightly smaller than the bear and far less inquisitive. It growled again, snapping its teeth until the bear wandered off at a steady clip.

 _Great. Now we’re going to be eaten by something that can scare off a fucking bear_. Sirius closed his eyes, readying himself for the creature’s footsteps to enter their campsite, only to hear a heavy exhale and the sounds of it trotting off. Some wild beast had stumbled upon fresh meat, chased a bear off for it, and then left. Sirius decided not to read into that too much—he sent a silent _thank you_ to whatever made it happen and went back to sleep.

The next morning was cold as ever and they packed up quickly; if they moved fast, they would make it to the outskirts of Glastam before nightfall. “Did you guys hear anything odd last night?” he asked as they followed the curve of the road.

Marlene raised an eyebrow. “No, why? What did you do?”

“There was a bear at the campsite.”

“A _what?_ ” she practically shrieked. Peter went pale.

“It was really weird. I woke up when it came to the border and then something else showed up. It was big, too, but they both left before I could get a good look.”

“This is exactly what I was afraid of,” Marlene said faintly, gripping the hilt of her sword. “We can’t stay in the woods anymore.”

“Why not? It wasn’t interested in us,” Remus said. He was clearly trying to act casual, but there was a strange edge to his voice. “We’ll be too recognizable at an inn.”

“At least we’ll be _alive_.”

“Remus, weren’t you on watch last night?” Peter asked. “Did you see what it was?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t hear anything. I left for about five minutes to use the bathroom, so it must have happened then.”

“New rule: no bathroom breaks while you’re on watch,” Marlene said.

“It’s a bodily function,” Remus defended. “I’d like to see you go five hours without one.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I can and I will.”

“Chill out, both of you,” Sirius said, holding his hands between them. “Look, it’s fine now. We just have to be careful with what we keep in the campsite and be super aware of what’s going on. We can do shorter watches, too.”

The other three muttered their assent, but something about the way Remus avoided looking at him made Sirius’ neck prickle. He was hiding something, and Sirius was determined to figure it out.

* * *

They arrived just outside of Glastam two hours before sunset and Peter went into the outer ring of the city to ask about the caravan while the rest of them set up camp. “I hope he finds something,” Marlene said as she stacked firewood in a small ring of stones. “Earlier, I know I came off as not wanting to find our parents, but I really do.”

“Hey, no.” Remus knelt down next to her, frowning. “We know you want this just as much as we do.”

“I’m sorry,” she sniffled, blinking back tears. “I just—I just didn’t want to get our hopes up over one tip when we were all so exhausted already. And after everything those idiots said to you…”

“It’s okay,” he said, wrapping her in a hug that she eagerly returned. “There have been a lot of hard choices recently and it’s smart to double-check.”

“I don’t usually do smart,” she said with a wet laugh. “I’m the one that charges in with a sword and Dorcas thinks things through. I’m sorry, it’s not fair to lose my shit all over you.”

“Yes, it is. We’re friends, right? This is what friends do.”

Marlene pulled away after a final squeeze and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “Okay. Okay, we’re good.”

“Guys!” Peter’s voice echoed down the road. “Guys, I know where it is!”

All three of them were on their feet in moments as Peter barreled into the camp, panting and wheezing. “What did you find?” Sirius asked, daring to hope.

“The caravan. Baker’s cousin—found her—said the carriages went— _oh fuck_ —” Peter slid down the nearest tree trunk and chugged some water from a canteen. “I found the baker’s cousin and she said the carriages went past Glastam just yesterday. One of the wheels looked new, like it had been replaced recently.”

“They haven’t crossed the border because they had to change a wheel.” Marlene’s face lit up. “We have a chance at catching them.”

“What are we waiting for?” Peter asked with a grin as he stood again.

They set off at a steady jog, securing their rucksacks and weapons as tight as they could. Sirius wasn’t much of a runner, but he could feel adrenaline trickling into his veins at the thought of finally freeing their parents and suddenly felt like he could go forever. He couldn’t wait for James to get back.

When night fell, they unanimously agreed to keep moving throughout the night; the carriages had a nearly two-day head start, and though they were fast on foot, it would be a close call. Sirius took a moment to be grateful he had slept so hard the previous night, save for the bear incident. They took a break in the early hours when Remus and Peter both nearly collapsed from exhaustion—their watches the night before had robbed them of much-needed rest and constant travel had worn them thin.

The four of them slept until the first bits of dawn touched the sky, using their packs as pillows and piling together to share heat rather than wasting time with pine needle beds. As soon as the stars began to fade, they headed off again, taking shortcuts through fields and farms over rivers and past deep valleys.

Sometime near noon, when the sun was high and they were all soaked with sweat, Marlene shouted and pointed to the opposite hill. “There!”

A green and silver flag flapped in the distant breeze and Sirius’ heart leaped. “Come on!” They took off at a sprint, scrambling over boulders and slipping on the damp grasses of the hillside. He skinned both palms tripping over a hidden tree root but paid it no mind; his thoughts were too preoccupied by the thought of seeing Fleamont and Euphemia again.

 _Come on, come on, come on_. His muscles burned and his hands stung as the crest of the hill drew closer. _Please_. The four of them arrived at the same time, scanning the valley below for signs of movement.

It was empty.

“No.” Sirius went cold. “No, no, _no_.”

There were no wheel tracks; no flags; no carriages. Nothing but green grass in every direction. “Mum!” Remus shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. His voice echoed over the hills. “Da!”

“Hello?” Marlene joined him, the loose wisps of her hair fluttering in the wind. “We know you’re down there!”

“Mum, Da! It’s me, I’m here!” Desperation filled Remus’ face. “I’m here, I’m—” His voice broke off.

“They’re gone.” Peter sounded numb.

“No, they’re not!” Marlene yelled, rounding on him with rage in her eyes. “They’re not gone, I saw them!”

“They were right here,” Sirius confirmed. His head felt fuzzy and his whole face tingled. “They were here, _I saw them right here_. We were so close.”

“No.” A dry sob wrenched from Remus' chest and he kicked the nearest rock, sending it tumbling down the hillside before sitting down heavily. “No, we were so fucking close, they _have_ to be here.”

“We can’t search the whole valley,” Peter said. “There’s too much space.”

“Yes, we can,” Sirius choked out. “We can, there’s four of us—”

“Sirius.” Peter took him by the shoulders. “Do you actually want to split up again?”

“No.”

“By the time we search everything, they’ll be gone for sure. The best thing we can do now is go to the border and meet up with the others.”

“Assuming they’re still alive,” Remus muttered.

“What did you just say?” Sirius threw Peter’s arms off him and whirled around. “What the fuck did you just say?”

“I said, _assuming they’re still alive_ ,” Remus snapped, standing up. “The Wildland is a death trap, Sirius. There’s almost no chance they survived.”

“Shut the fuck up, you—” He launched himself at Remus, tackling him to the ground and struggling to land a hit. Anger and terror warred within him, mixing with the leftover frantic adrenaline to create something wild that make him shake. Strong arms closed around his chest and hauled him off Remus.

“Cut it out,” Marlene grunted as she tightened her hold.

“You never liked them!” Sirius shouted while Peter caught Remus by the collar. “You’re so fucking lonely that you can’t bear seeing happiness in anything!”

“Dorcas is my best friend!”

“James is my brother!”

“No, he’s not, because your family doesn’t love you!”

Sirius reeled back like he’d been slapped, and Remus’ face drained of color. “What?”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it—”

“You wouldn’t have said it if you didn’t mean it.”

“No, please.” The corner of Remus’ eye was rapidly purpling and Sirius tasted blood when he ran his tongue along his lip. _What the hell are we doing?_ “Sirius, I’m sorry.”

“They _are_ my family,” he said, feeling the burn of tears in his throat. “James and his parents, they’re my family and I will do _anything_ to get them back.”

“I know, I'm so sorry.” Peter’s grip released and Remus adjusted his shirt with trembling hands. There was a moment of dead quiet before he took a shaky breath. “If anyone can make it through the Wildland, it’s James, Lily, and Dorcas. We have to believe that.”

Marlene carefully let Sirius go and stepped to the side. “Are we done here?” she asked, looking exhausted. “Because if you’ve got yourselves figured out, we have a border to find.”

Remus’ gaze focused on something behind Sirius and his eyes flared wide; before his shouted warning was even done, Sirius raised his sword to block a blade that arced down over his head. His adrenaline kick-started again in an instant and he kneed the black-clad man in the gut, pulling his sword down to slice along his side.

“How many?” he shouted as the sound of metal-on-metal clanged through the hills.

“Four!” Peter answered. “No, shit, five!”

Sirius slammed the hilt of his sword into the man’s temple, knocking him unconscious, before engaging the next Death Eater. She was quick, with two axes that reminded him just enough of Lily’s to be unsettling. _They’re going to kill you_ , he reminded himself as one of her blows whooshed past his head. _They’ll kill you and then your friends._

The feeling of her flesh against his blade was sickening, and the slick liquid on his hand even more so. She was dead before she hit the ground; when he looked up again, two bodies had joined her, and the last survivor was running as fast as they could in the other direction. He wobbled for a second, nauseated by the red splashed in the grass.

A hand fell on his shoulder and he flinched, only to see Peter looking back at him. “Are you okay?” He nodded mutely. “Sirius, breathe. Are you hurt?”

“No,” he said around the clog in his throat. The blood on his hands was starting to cool. “No, I’m alright. You?”

“Fine. Knight in training, remember?”

“I killed her.”

“Are you going to pass out?”

For a moment, Sirius was tempted to say yes. Then he looked back at the others, panting and shaking, and realized that this would not be the last time they would be in this situation. “No.”

“Good.”

Sirius blinked, and suddenly he was walking next to Remus in the valley he had just been standing above. “That’s the first person I’ve ever killed,” he blurted.

“Third for me,” Remus said softly. Something nudged his hand, then warmth laced with his fingers and held tight. “You’re alright.”

“I’m so tired.”

“Same.”

“I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

Remus sighed through his nose. “Me, too. I shouldn't have said that about James.”

“Can we move on from it? Forgive and forget?”

“Absolutely.”

Sirius squeezed his hand, then let go. His dizziness was already fading. “How far to the border?”

“No clue. We’ll get there when we get there, I suppose,” Marlene said over her shoulder. “Those Death Eaters did bring some good news, though.”

“What?”

“It means we’re getting closer.”

* * *

They didn’t reach the border until the next night. Marlene made them all take a quick bath in the winding river to get some of the blood out of their clothes, and Sirius was grateful for the brutal cold that snapped him out of the last of his shock. Nobody bothered to unpack firewood that night; they scarfed down the last of the pies and then crashed hard, not even bothering to keep a watch schedule. If they died, they died, and that was the end of it.

Sirius dragged himself out of sleep an hour or two past dawn and the others followed suit, groaning at their sore muscles as they stepped back onto the road and began to walk. There was no true mark for the border, since the farms from Silvalith and the Middle Kingdom were so close to one another, so even their best estimates were likely to be off by quite a bit.

No landmarks jumped out at Sirius: the land was filled with verdant fields and lazy hills as far as they eye could see. It would take a miracle for James, Lily, and Dorcas to find them there. They barely spoke as they slogged through the knee-high grass, caught between grief and far too much energy.

“I vote we stay here for the night,” Peter said when they passed an abandoned farmhouse near dusk. There was no door and one side was scorched, but overall it looked sturdy enough. “We’ll poke around for any news of the carriages or the others in the morning.”

“I’m in.”

“Sure.”

“Sounds good.” Sirius dropped his pack on the floor and curled up, silently hoping the wind wouldn’t blow too hard through the shattered windows. “Good night, everyone.”

“G’night.”

“Night.”

Peter’s answering snore made them all laugh a bit. A fire would have been nice, but it would certainly attract too much attention and that was one thing they couldn’t afford to risk right now. Sirius rolled onto his back, staring up through the empty windowpane at the darkening sky. _Cassiopeia. Orion. Ursa Major. Leo._

_Sirius. Regulus. Bellatrix._

He closed his eyes. Now was not the time for those kinds of thoughts. The night breeze hushed through the grass and he could picture the gentle ripples of each swaying blade, forming an ocean just outside. _Goodnight, Jamie. I’m sorry I failed. Please be safe._

Something rustled. Sirius was awake before he even opened his eyes.

Carefully, he picked up his sword. Marlene was sitting up, her face grim as she pressed one finger to her lips. Remus and Peter were flanking the door and Sirius nodded to them as he slipped out into the shadows.

He moved as quietly as he could through the grass, scanning the endless fields for any misplaced shadows or movement. On the other side of the house, the vague form of a person passed a window. Sirius’ heart hammered in his chest as he drew closer.

“Don’t move or I’ll kill you,” he threatened, placing the point of his blade on the person’s neck.

There was a creak next to his ear and something sharp brushed his neck. “You’d be dead before your first swing,” a new voice said.

Sirius paused, his arm faltering. “Dorcas? Is that you?”

The sharp thing disappeared. “ _Sirius?_ ”

“Holy shit, it _is_ you!” He sheathed his sword and reached blindly in the direction of her voice, pulling her in for a tight hug. He heard Lily’s surprised laughter and she joined their embrace. “You scared the hell out of me, you two.”

“We thought you were a Death Eater!"

“Where’s James?”

“Oh, _fuck me!_ ” Marlene shouted from inside, dissolving into laughter.

“There he is.” Sirius could practically hear Lily’s smile.

“Jamie!” he called as he ran back inside, colliding with the person standing in the empty doorway.

“Sirius!” Two arms, so wonderfully familiar that he couldn’t help but grin, wrapped around his waist and nearly lifted him off the ground.

“You made it.” They swayed back and forth for a moment, eyes squeezed shut. “You made it, Jamie, how did you find us?”

“We asked around town for a bit,” Lily said. There was a clattering noise and some frustrated muttering, then a spark; in a few seconds, a low fire was burning on the stone floor. Their shadows were inhumanly long on the walls, but the light was enough to make out everyone’s faces at last as they sat down around it.

“Wow, we all look like wrecks,” Dorcas laughed. “How much have you slept in the past week?”

“Not enough,” all four of them said at once.

“Same here,” James groaned, stretching so he was laying halfway on Sirius’ lap. “What did we miss?”

“Lots of walking,” Sirius said. “Lots and lots and _lots_ of walking. We fought some Death Eaters.”

“Us, too.” Lily set to work rebraiding her long hair. “They kept coming out of the woodwork, like termites.”

Sirius leaned back on his hands, preparing to bask in a comfortable, easy conversation, when more footsteps came from outside. The room fell silent and everyone reached for their weapons. “You didn’t bring a friend, I take it?” he murmured. James shook his head.

“Who’s out there?” Lily demanded as a shadow crossed their doorway.

“Hi, Lily.” A young man stepped into the light, his hands raised in surrender.

Lily nearly dropped her axe. “ _Severus?_ What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Do you know this guy?” Marlene asked incredulously.

“We knew each other when we were kids—hang on, this isn’t your house.” Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “How long have you been following us?”

Severus took a step closer, then rocked back when they tensed. “I wasn’t. I saw your friends come in here and figured I’d check it out. I can help you.”

“Help us with what?” Dorcas asked warily.

His dark eyes flickered to Lily. “I can lead you through Silvalith without being seen, straight to Os Anguis.”

* * *

Hope had had many bad months before, but few came close to spending nearly two weeks crammed in a carriage with six other royals after being kidnapped from her own country. Silvalith’s betrayal hurt deep, and she was still reeling from that horrible night. She and Lyall had been the last taken, bound and blindfolded and gagged despite the darkness.

Still, she would take being shackled a thousand more times if it meant she knew what happened to their children.

Once they were unbound, Lyall assured them all that he had seen Remus lead the others into the secret passage, away from the destroyed city and the immediate danger. Her heart ached—she had caught a single glimpse of him before being taken, covered in ash as he dragged James and Sirius away from the battle.

The Silval guards refused to tell them anything and hardly interacted with them unless they were bringing food and water or letting them out to use the bathroom. Every one of Hope’s muscles was twisted and sore from their bumpy journey, but she ran out of tears long ago.

On the tenth afternoon, the carriage sped up. King Amir and his husband shared a look; their subtle sabotage of the previous wheel should have made the guards more cautious of going fast.

“They’re gaining!” one guard barked from the front. Hope’s heart clenched. The only people who would know the truth of their kidnapping were their children. Their children, who were free and should have gone home or into hiding. Their children, who apparently were hunting down the caravan on foot.

“They’ll tire,” another man sneered.

Queen Annette laughed. “If you’re talking about who I think you’re talking about, they won’t.”

A masked face pressed up against the small barred window that led to the front cab. “And why is that?”

“Because you’ve clearly never met my daughter if you think she’ll let you get away that easily.” Fierce pride shone in her eyes and her wife, Queen Louise, took her hand.

“Fuck, there’s more!” the driver warned.

The masked face disappeared. “How many?”

“Four!”

 _Four?_ Hope glanced at her husband uneasily. There should have been at least five. Seven, if Peter and the Middle Kingdom girl Lyall mentioned were still with them. The blood drained from her face and she begged any higher power that Remus was not one of the ones left behind. Euphemia closed her eyes and Fleamont kept his gaze focused on the small square of light in the door.

Suddenly, he went still. “I see them. _I see them_.”

Seven people scrambled to his side, pressing against him. Hope strained her eyes as they went over a large bump and nearly bit her tongue—four shapes came into view, cresting the hill opposite. “Marlene!” Annette’s voice broke and she grasped the bars, pulling with all her might. “That’s her, that’s Marlene! Honey, she has Peter with her!”

Euphemia stifled a shriek. “There’s Sirius, but where’s James? Monty, I don’t see him.”

“He won’t be far behind, I’m sure,” Fleamont said shakily.

“Does anyone see Dorcas?” Amir asked desperately. They all moved aside to let him and Rashid get a better view. “She’s not there, where is she?”

 _Not James, not Dorcas, not the other girl…_ Understanding crashed into Hope at the same time it hit her husband. “Remus,” she breathed. And there he was, taller than the others and running full tilt toward them. He was too far away for her to see his face, but she could picture it clear as day. Marlene stumbled and Louise gasped, but Remus steadied her and made sure she didn’t fall.

And then they vanished. All eight of them shouted at once, pounding on the door like they had for days now as they began going downhill. The carriage took a sharp turn and they slid to the side, unable to gain traction on the wooden floor. As soon as the cab righted itself, they were back to their positions, desperate for anything but the empty grassland.

“Mum!” That was her son. That was her _son_. “Da!” Lyall shuddered against the door.

“Hello? We know you’re down there!”

“Marlene!” Louise called as tears coursed down her cheeks. “Marlene!”

“Mum, Da! It’s me, I’m here!”

“I know, I know, sweetheart.” Hope slammed her hand against the door once more. It didn’t budge.

“I’m here, I’m—” Remus trailed off and Hope’s heart broke.

“They’re gone.” A different voice, reedier but just as horrified as the others. _Peter_ , her brain supplied.

“No, they’re not!” Marlene all but roared, drawing a shout from her mothers. “They’re not gone, I saw them!”

“Darling, down here!” Annette called. If Hope had to guess, she would say they were on the opposite side of the hill, where the wind couldn’t carry their voices.

“They were right there.” A high noise tore from Euphemia and she held her hands over her mouth as Fleamont pulled her close. _Sirius, then_. “They were here, I saw them right here. We were so close.”

Amir and Rashid were at the back of the carriage when the voices faded out and Hope finally turned around, all the fight gone from her bones. “I’m so sorry,” she told them around the tears in her throat. “Dorcas is a smart girl. A strong girl. I’m sure she’s alright.”

“James wouldn’t leave Sirius,” Euphemia murmured, “He just wouldn’t. The others have to be nearby.”

Some more halfhearted reassurances were passed around, but they were all drained. Soon, she was leaning into Lyall’s side as he ran his fingers through the ends of her tangled hair. “We saw him.” His chest rumbled as he spoke. “We saw him, and he’s alright.”

“We will get back to him,” Hope said. “We’ll get back to all of them, even if we have to tear Os Anguis apart stone by stone. That’s a promise I’m willing to make.”

From the looks on the rest of their faces, she bet they would all agree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I highkey love this chapter. Endless thanks to mayitbe and Thatbookgirl747 for your comments--you inspired me to keep going with this fic during a tough roadblock and I cannot thank you enough. Comment and kudos are the best way to get chapters out quicker!
> 
> Songs for Chapter 5:  
> \- All is Found (Frozen 2 soundtrack) for the parents' POV in the carriage, specifically Hope


	8. Under the Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kiki Layne as Dorcas Meadowes is literal perfection
> 
> If any of you follow lumosinlove on tumblr, she recently did some art of Marlene that is basically exactly how I picture her!

_“Who’s out there?” Lily demanded as a shadow crossed their doorway._

_“Hi, Lily.” A young man stepped into the light, his hands raised in surrender._

_Lily nearly dropped her axe. “Severus? What the fuck are you doing here?”_

_“Do you know this guy?” Marlene asked incredulously._

_“We knew each other when we were kids—hang on, this isn’t your house.” Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “How long have you been following us?”_

_Severus took a step closer, then rocked back when they all tensed. “I wasn’t. I saw your friends come in here and figured I’d check it out. I can help you.”_

_“Help us with what?” Dorcas asked warily._

_His dark eyes flickered to Lily. “I can lead you through Silvalith without being seen, straight to Os Anguis.”_

“I’m sorry, give me like two seconds.” Sirius made a time-out gesture. “Who the fuck are you? What are you doing here? How do you know Lily?”

“Severus Snape.” His nose twitched when he looked at Sirius and did not offer his hand to shake. “I thought you were thieves, seeing as normal people don’t go skulking about at night. Lily and I are friends.”

Sirius didn’t like the way Snape said ‘friends’, though he didn’t know why. Maybe it was because he made it sound like something to be collected, or maybe it was the kicked-puppy eagerness with which he gazed at Lily. “We haven’t seen each other in years,” she said uncomfortably.

“That wasn’t _my_ fault!”

Marlene’s eyebrows rose. “No need to get defensive.”

“Look, Sev…” The way his face lit up at Lily’s nickname was damn near pathetic, even as she sighed heavily. “As much as we appreciate your offer, I think it would be best if we did this on our own.”

He scowled. “How else are you going to get into the city? You’d all be slaughtered before you reached the mountains.”

“Sev—”

“Besides, you’d never survive the mountains, anyway,” he continued over her. “I’m your best—”

“Oi,” Dorcas snapped. “Lily was talking.”

Snape seemed too surprised to protest, but Lily shot her a grateful look. “Sev, I don’t know how you figured out that we’re heading to Os Anguis, but it’s not something I want you to be involved in.”

“Why? Am I not good enough to be part of your little club?”

“No,” Remus said dryly; Sirius bit down a laugh and saw James do the same. “You’re not, actually. Why do you care so much?”

“Excuse me for wanting to keep my friend safe,” he sneered.

“I think she made it clear that you two aren’t all buddy-buddy anymore,” Marlene said with a false smile. A reddish flush crept up Snape’s neck.

“ _She_ can speak for herself just fine.” Lily placed her hand on Marlene’s arm reassuringly. “Come inside, Sev, and we can have a group discussion before we freeze our asses off.”

He reeled back, scandalized. “Since when do you swear?”

Sirius snorted, but a shadow crossed Lily’s face. “I’m not fourteen anymore.”

Without waiting for his response, she turned on her heel and headed back into the farmhouse, taking a seat by the fire to warm her hands and feet. Peter settled into the spot next to her before Snape could claim it and smiled up at him, completely unruffled. “Right then, Severus, what’s your plan?”

Snape ground his teeth and took a seat next to Dorcas, who tilted her chin up and gave him a slight side-eye. “There’s a tunnel network that farmers used for imports to Os Anguis when the winters were too snowy for the roads. It’s not active anymore, but Riddle lets certain merchants pass through a secret valley in the mountains.”

“Where’s the path?” James asked as he set his quiver down and rolled his shoulders out.

“I don’t know.”

“You want us to sneak into the Silval capital city using _tunnels_ , and you don’t even know how to get through them?” Sirius nearly laughed.

“I know how to get through,” Snape said disdainfully. James’ eyes flashed at his tone and Sirius grabbed his elbow quickly. A fight was not what they needed right now, not for his sake. “That’s why I’d be your guide.”

“In return for what?” Marlene narrowed her eyes. “I can tell you want something.”

Snape’s scorn flickered, replaced by fidgety anxiety. “Your support in the next election. Once Riddle is dead, my mother is going to put a bid in for the throne, and she’ll have it in the bag if your parents sponsor her.”

A heavy silence hung over the room as the offer sunk in. “Team meeting?” James suggested, getting to his feet with a slight wince. Snape rose as well. “Not you.”

Sirius didn’t miss the dark look that crossed Snape’s face as James led the rest of them out the door. “I don’t like him,” Peter murmured as soon as they were a good ways into the field. “No offense, Lily, but I have an awful feeling about this.”

“None taken,” Lily said wearily. The worried crease between her eyebrows had returned in full force; Sirius hadn’t realized just how much he missed the three of them until they were back, what with all the chaos. It felt like a puzzle piece sliding back into place. “Sev is our best chance at getting into the city undetected, though.”

“Lils, if you’re not comfortable around him, we’ll find another way.” Dorcas squeezed her hand, but Lily shook her head.

“My comfort level doesn’t matter. We need to free your parents as soon as possible and end this war before it starts.”

“Um, about that…” Sirius glanced at Marlene, mouth suddenly dry. “We—we saw them.”

“ _What?_ ” James practically shouted. “When? Where? What happened?”

“Yesterday, when we were passing through some farmland.” He couldn’t look at James right now. _He’s so disappointed in you_ , the little gremlin in his head cackled. _He’s going to hate you for this_.

“We were so close,” Remus said quietly, almost to himself.

“How close?” Dorcas demanded, voice cracking.

“A hundred meters, maybe less.” Marlene swallowed thickly. “We saw the carriage across a ridge, but it was gone by the time we got there.”

“Vanished into the thin air,” Peter finished. A small sound punched out of James’ lungs and Sirius flinched. “If they kept up that pace, they’ll be at the mountains in four days, maybe less.”

“I’ll let Sev know we’ll leave at first light,” Lily said after a moment of terrible, grief-stricken silence. Marlene led Dorcas a short distance away from the group silently; Remus glanced back at Sirius before following the others inside. He could feel the itch of James’ gaze on his neck, but remained rooted to the spot.

“Did they look alright?” James asked finally.

“I don’t know. Couldn’t see their faces.” He fiddled with the cuff of his sleeve. “I—I heard them, though, and they sounded fine.”

“What did they say?”

“They were looking for you.” Tears burned at the back of his throat. “Your mum and dad were both there, so at least we know they’re together.”

“Hey.” Sirius clenched his teeth, preparing for harsh words or blame, only to feel James’ arms pull him close in an embrace. They were both crying a little—he could feel the slight hitches of James’ chest against his own and returned the hug fiercely.

“I’m so sorry,” he managed. “Jamie, I’m so sorry I lost them.”

“It’s not your fault.” James pulled back to press their foreheads together, though his hands shook as they clasped Sirius’ shoulders. “Sirius, there was no way you could have caught them on foot. At least we’re all together now, right?”

“But they’re your parents—”

“ _Our_ parents,” James corrected. “You’re part of the family, always have been.” Guilt shadowed his face for a moment. “I should’ve stayed with you.”

“No,” Sirius said immediately. “Lily and Dorcas needed you in the Wildland. Did you—” He paused and lowered his voice. “Did you find it?”

James nodded, inclining his head toward the silhouettes of Marlene and Dorcas. “It’s in her bag.”

“What is it?”

“Big fuckin’ knife, thankfully,” he laughed. “I’m kind of done with magical bullshit.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty straightforward.” Sirius wiped away the last of his drying tears and smiled ruefully. “Should we go in an offer moral support before the others kill our sleezy guide?”

James snorted and draped his arm over Sirius’ shoulders. “It’s good to have you back, Siri.”

“Don’t call me Siri!” he protested, smacking James playfully in the ribs. The sound of his loud laugh against the quiet night was the best thing Sirius had heard all day.

* * *

A fine layer of frost coated the ground outside when dawn came and their breath steamed in the air as they headed back toward the road; everyone kept their eyes open for Death Eaters hidden in the dense trees or behind rising hilltops. Sirius had slept like a log despite the hard-packed ground, though whether that was due to relief at having the whole group together or just sheer exhaustion, he wasn’t sure.

“She seems to have warmed up to you,” he muttered to James when Lily smiled at him after he tossed her an apple. “What’s all that about?”

A vivid flush tinted James’ dark skin and he stepped on the back of Sirius’ shoe. “Shut up.”

“Hey!” It took him a moment to adjust the shoe and hurry back to James’ side, giving him a solid smack upside the head. “Rude.”

“For the record, we talked. Quite a bit, in fact.”

“…and?”

“And I said I’d be happy as her friend.”

“Jamie!” he hissed incredulously. “Why would you do that?”

“Because it’s true!” James whispered back, casting a furtive look at Lily’s back up ahead. “As much as I liker her—”

“—which is _a lot_ —”

“ _As much as I like her_ , if she just wants to be friends, then I will gladly do so.”

“You’re _such_ a fucking romantic.”

“I don’t see you doing any better!”

Sirius glanced over his shoulder instinctively; by some miracle, Remus was invested in a conversation with Peter and wasn’t paying attention to them. “Could you be any louder, idiot?”

“Yes.”

“That was rhetorical, shut your face. _No_ , I am not doing any better. We were getting somewhere before Marlene and Pete butted in, though.”

James cocked an eyebrow. “What kind of ‘getting somewhere’?”

“Like I know his favorite color,” Sirius said, exasperated.

“Whose favorite color?”

Both of them jumped about ten feet in the air. “Yours,” Sirius blurted without thinking. _Fuck_.

Remus seemed rather surprised. “Oh?”

“I’m just catching Jamie up on the last week, since he wasn’t there.”

“I know.”

“Right.”

“Are you okay?” Remus’ eyes flickered between them. “Am I intruding?”

“Not at all!” James said brightly, slinging one arm over each of their shoulders. “Who wants to hear about the Wildland?”

“It starts with James being an idiot,” Dorcas chimed in with a sly grin.

“That’s nothing new,” Sirius teased. “What was it this time?”

Lily slowed down to match their pace so they were walking in more of a clump than a line; Snape looked distinctly miffed by that fact. “The first thing he did was insult a notorious magic land, which set off an earthquake and sent a horde of gryphons after us.”

“Freaky-ass birds,” James clarified. “Big, too, with huge beaks.”

“Then we spent three days trying to not get killed by boars, rivers, and various other things.” Lily shook her head. “The next three days were _also_ spent trying stay alive, but we were on the road by then and the circumstances were slightly different.”

“Why were you in the Wildland in the first place?” Snape asked. The buzzing energy of their group died immediately.

“We were looking for something,” Dorcas said carefully.

“Did you find it?”

“No. The massive metal boar was the last straw, and we left before anyone died.” Sirius could tell she was lying by the way she gripped the strap of her bag and hoped Snape wouldn’t notice. “How unfortunate.”

“How did you get back here so fast?” Marlene asked.

Dorcas’ face softened. “We stopped by Hisanon after we left the Wildland and borrowed some horses. I turned them loose earlier today so they could find their way home.”

“No horse can make that journey in three days,” Snape scoffed.

The flinty look returned to her eyes. “The horses of my homeland are the swiftest, surest creatures alive. They carried us halfway across the continent with ease and grace, and I won’t stand for any disrespect toward them.”

Snape’s jaw ticked, but he said nothing more and continued to lead them down the road. Sirius wouldn’t have minded if Dorcas kept the horses around—his feet were aching from nonstop travel and the steadily-freezing ground did nothing to soften their path. Then again, three horses wouldn’t help much with seven people, even if they were strong enough to carry two apiece. The tunnels would not be good places for freewheeling animals, either.

They veered off the road and into a sparse forest within the hour; everyone was clearly soaking up as much of the rising sun as they could in preparation for many days spent underground. Suddenly and without warning, Snape stopped in an empty glade. “We’re here.”

“Where?” Peter asked, turning in a slow circle.

Snape rolled his eyes and Sirius felt a sudden protective urge flare in him. “Over there.”

A broken-down woodshed sat amongst the trees, looking somehow out of place and completely at home at the same time. If he didn’t know better, Sirius probably would have dismissed it as an abandoned woodsman’s outhouse and kept walking.

The ancient door groaned as Snape pried it open, revealing a tunnel entrance that led straight into darkness. Marlene grimaced at the musty smell. “You first.”

“I think the prettiest should go first,” Snape said with a sideways look at Lily, who tensed. James’ went rigid.

“I suppose that’s me, isn’t it?” Sirius sighed, shouldering through the group. “Budge over.”

Snape’s lip curled. “I wasn’t talking about you.”

“You said the prettiest, right?” Remus fixed him with a challenging stare. “Let him through.”

A tumbling little thrill sparkled in Sirius’ stomach and he didn’t bother hiding a grin as he dropped into the tunnel, wincing as the slight drop made his knees throb. Dorcas followed soon after, then Peter, Marlene, Lily, Remus, and James. Snape was the last to enter; he stumbled as he landed and nobody moved to help him.

Instead, they divided up the small pile of unlit torches by the entrance, shaking dirt and other unsavory things off them before adding them to their rucksacks to leave their hands free for weapons. Peter easily lit two with the flint Dumbledore had given them in his pack—as far as Sirius could remember, it had not failed them yet.

“We should go single-file,” Snape suggested at the same time James said, “we should stick together.”

The tension spiked and the hair on Sirius’ neck rose. “How about we go in pairs, since there’s eight of us?” Lily offered, glancing between the two.

“Great idea!” Marlene chirped. “I’ll walk with Sniv—Severus. Lead the way, guide!”

Snape’s scowl deepened by several degrees as he began to walk at a rapid pace—Marlene had to jog to catch up, and in the hurry to keep him in their sight, Sirius ended up shoulder-to-shoulder with Remus. “So, you think I’m pretty?” he asked without thinking. _Foot, meet mouth. You’ll get along swimmingly._

Even in the low light, Sirius could see the tips of his ears and his cheeks turn pink. “You know you’re pretty.”

“Well, yeah, but it’s always nice to hear it from someone else.” _Disaster averted._ Thankfully, everyone else’s voices echoed off the walls in an unintelligible murmur and muffled their own conversation. “This is probably a bad time to mention I hate small spaces, isn’t it?”

Remus laughed, and the flickering flame cast shadows on his cheekbones. “Yeah, a bit. It’s okay, I don’t like them much, either. There’s never enough space to move around.”

“I’d think you would be used to that by now, since you’re so tall.”

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Sirius kicked him lightly on the shin and he grinned. “Come on, you’re not much shorter than I am. Why don’t you like being underground?”

Sirius wrinkled his nose. “I hate feeling trapped. My parents’ house had these narrow hallways that were painted black and they always reminded me of tunnels.”

“That sounds terrible.”

“The house in Harindvar has really big windows that look out over the ocean,” he said with a shrug. “Doesn’t matter where I came from if I’ve got those now, does it?”

Remus paused, watching Sirius with an indecipherable look on his face. “No, I suppose not.”

“Back at the river, you were going to tell me something before Marlene interrupted.”

The look faded away. “I was.”

“Can you tell me now?”

“No.”

“Oh. Sorry.” _Way to go, Sirius, you were doing so well_.

“It’s not—” Remus bit his lip and sighed. “I want to, but not around other people.” He cast a meaningful look at the front of the group, where Snape’s torch bobbed far ahead as he pointedly ignored Marlene. “Besides, it kind of requires a demonstration.”

Sirius raised his eyebrows. “A demonstration of what?”

Remus glanced at him, then did a double-take. “Holy shit, no! Get your mind out of the gutter! No, it’s nothing like that. It’s a family secret of sorts and I really shouldn’t be telling you, to be honest.”

“Then why are you?”

He hesitated. “Like you said, there’s a lot we don’t know about each other. This one is pretty big.”

“Whatever it is, it won’t change my opinion of you.”

“Thanks.” His eyes flickered from amber to reddish-gold as Snape turned a corner.

“Can I guess?”

“Wh—you want to guess my terrible family secret?” He rolled his eyes. “I’m going to regret saying yes, but go for it.”

“You have a secret evil twin.”

“Not that I know of.”

“You actually enjoyed the ale at the feast.”

He pulled a face. “Not even a little bit.”

“You’ve been walking on stilts this whole time and you’re three gnomes in disguise.”

“That’s oddly specific.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Unfortunately, no.” Remus kicked his legs out slightly as he walked. “These are completely real and quite gangly.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“What’s it going to take to convince you?”

“ _Now_ whose mind is in the gutter?” Sirius teased. He hoped his flush was hidden by the low light.

Before Remus could respond, something smacked them both in the foreheads with a screech. Sirius reached up to hit it on reflex, but all he felt was the brush of something leathery as it flew past. “What the fuck?”

“Bats!” he shouted as Dorcas shrieked. “Stay low, they’re not interested in us!”

“These are echo bats!” Snape called as someone unsheathed their sword. Panic laced his tone. “They are very, _very_ interested in us.”

“Then lead us away from them!” Lily yelled. “Peter, put your sword away, there’s no room.”

Something scratched Sirius’ cheek and he yelped, grabbing one of the bat’s legs and throwing it into the wall with a _thud_. The torches cast swaying shadows as they ran through the tunnels semi-blindly; their voices were barely audible over the cacophony of high-pitched screaming and flapping wings. Next to him, Remus’ face was twisted in agony as the colony’s volume grew and he stumbled, hitting the ground and immediately clamping his hands over his ears.

“Remus!” He reached blindly into the darkness until his hand closed around Remus’ arm and pulled him up so they were facing each other. “We have to keep going!”

Remus said something, his voice too quiet for Sirius to hear more than ‘hurts’. A bat dove down and whirled between them, opening thin lines of blood on Remus’ cheek and Sirius’ forehead.

“I know, but we have to keep going or we’ll lose them!” The confusion was clear on Remus’ face, but he followed Sirius without protest as they ran through the tunnels, chasing the single torch that was still visible ahead.

“—go back!” James’ voice was loud as they stumbled out of the river of bats into a side passage.

“We can’t waste any time,” Snape protested.

“We’re not leaving without them,” Marlene said, low and dangerous.

“Who are we missing?” Sirius asked as they stumbled into a small cavern. Remus leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. “Who got lost?”

Relief flooded five faces. “You two,” James said. “We didn’t know where you were.”

“Sorry.” Sirius turned back to Remus, who looked significantly less ashen than he had before. “Are you alright?”

“Better now that we’re out of there.” He frowned and reached out to brush his thumb across Sirius’ cheek; it came away bloody, and he was suddenly aware of the stinging cuts from sharp claws. “You?”

“All good. Is anyone hurt?”

“Just scratched,” Lily said. She held her forearm up and showed a makeshift bandage from her torn sleeve.

“Why didn’t you tell us about the bats?” James turned to Snape with fury on his face. “You clearly knew they were down here.”

“I was hoping we wouldn’t come across them,” he snapped back. “There’s a lot of dangerous things in these tunnels, I don’t have time to give you a history lesson.”

“What are the most likely for us to run across?” Dorcas pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

Snape gave James a final dirty look. “Echo bats, tunnel gas, and the worms.”

“What are the last two?” Peter asked. “Is the gas toxic?”

“It causes hallucinations if you breathe too much. It’s only fatal to the people who go running off into the tunnels.”

“At least worms aren’t too bad,” Marlene grumbled, though she had gone a bit pale.

“The worms can grow up to forty feet long, and they have teeth.”

“What the fuck do they need teeth for? They’re worms!”

Snape rolled his eyes. “I’m going to get food for us. Don’t wander off.”

“What’s his problem?” James muttered as soon as Snape was gone, settling down on the ground and laying his bow, arrows, and pack next to him.

“I wish I knew,” Lily said. “He’s different than before.”

“You were neighbors, right?”

“Yeah. We hung out a lot as kids, but my family moved to Bailey when I was fourteen for the mill. I don’t think he ever forgave me.”

Dorcas frowned. “For what? It wasn’t your fault.”

“He didn’t have a lot of other friends.”

“Wonder why,” Peter said under his breath.

“He’s really sweet when you get to know him.” Lily didn’t even sound like she was convincing herself. “He visited all the time at first, but his new friends weren’t great and eventually he just stopped coming.”

Sirius heard footsteps from one of the tunnels and reached for his sword, as did the others. Snape appeared mere moments later with a leather bag under his arm and a torch in his hand, looking more waxen in the flickering light than he had in daylight. _Creep_.

“There’s nothing fancy, your highnesses,” Snape tossed the bag down into the center of their circle, narrowly missing the torches they had stacked for a fire. Even underground, the cold from above made Sirius’ fingers and toes numb if he stopped moving for too long.

“Better than roasted squirrels, I bet,” James said sharing a look with Dorcas.

Snape’s face went slightly purple as Lily laughed. “I swear, you two had the worst luck with those stupid things. How many did you catch, three?”

“ _I_ shot three,” Dorcas corrected. “Sharpshooter over here managed a grand total of one.”

“And a few fish!” James protested around his smile. “I’m not completely useless.”

Snape scoffed, but everyone ignored him; Peter untied the drawstring and began passing around jerky. “Severus, how long will we be down here?”

“With no interruptions and following the main path, six days.” He cast James a glance and Sirius bit the inside of his cheek. _Killing him is a bad idea_ , he reminded himself. “Somehow, I think it’ll take longer than that.”

“In that case, we should eat and then get some sleep,” Peter said coolly, though some of his forced friendliness was gone. “We’ll need all our strength once we get there.”

* * *

The second day in the tunnels passed much like the first. They burned through two more torches and decided to ration them out to one per day, just in case. Every once in a while, a slithering noise would make them all freeze in their tracks as the walls trembled and rained dirt on them; Snape said that tunnel worms weren’t carnivores, but nobody was too keen on testing that theory.

With only one torch lit at a time, Dorcas suggested tying a rope around their waists so nobody got left behind on accident. Their only rope was too short to reach everyone, so they ended up in a single-file line and held hands as Snape led the way. The next food cache was further away than the previous one, and Snape once again warned them not to go wandering while he was gone.

Once they were sure he was out of earshot, a wave of tension washed out of them. “Alright, tell us what happened,” she said, sighing as she untied her wrist guards and rubbed out the red skin. The small knives she kept in the hidden slots along her forearms had not rusted, despite the many days they spent sheathed.

“Where?” Sirius asked.

“Not _you_.” She playfully punched him in the shoulder. “The Wildland! We got the bare minimum earlier and I’m dying of curiosity.”

“Honestly, we kind of already told you,” Lily said with a shrug. The whetstone rang along the edge of her axe in a smooth hum. “We climbed some trees, fought some birds, ran from a boar, nearly drowned, and then found the thing.”

The rest of the group instantly burst into protests. “Come on, Lily, that’s the worst story I’ve ever heard!” Remus tossed a small pebble at her.

“Yeah, we want _details_ ,” Sirius said. “Jamie, Dorcas, what _actually_ happened?”

“Lily tried to drown me.” Dorcas stole the whetstone and grinned, laying her spear across her lap. “After jumping off a cliff, of course.”

“There is so much to unpack there,” Peter groaned. “Both of you are terrible storytellers.”

“Alright, alright, settle down, children,” James said. “You want the real story?”

“Yes!” they chorused.

“It begins with the most desolate, deserted wasteland I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said, lowering his voice and leaning toward their miniature torch bonfire for dramatic effect. “Naturally, I pointed out this fact, and then the whole place started shaking. Dorcas had the brilliant idea to climb some trees in the forest nearby, but mere minutes after we got up there, the trees started screaming.”

“It was half an hour, and the earthquake was still happening,” Lily corrected with a smile. “Also, it was more of a rustling sound.”

“ _Anyway_ , we climbed down again and started running, which is really difficult when the ground is rolling around. We made it to a clearing and all of a sudden, hundreds—”

“—twelve at most—”

“—birds came diving down at us with these _huge_ talons! Dorcas and I started picking them off while Lily fought the ones that came too close, but we were going to run out of arrows soon and none of us wanted to wander the Wildland without our bows. And then…” He paused, building the suspense. “…it stopped.”

“What stopped?” Marlene asked barely above a whisper.

“Everything. The ground went still. The gryphons flew away, leaving the dead ones behind. The whole forest seemed to take a deep breath. When Dorcas and I got our arrows out of the bodies, they disintegrated into moss.” James waited for a moment to let that sink in before continuing. “We did an inventory after that. Dumbledore gave us a bunch of stuff, including a broken compass and a blank map, so we weren’t feeling great as we set off into the forest.”

“Why would you go further into a forest that has things that were actively trying to kill you?” Remus asked.

“Because the alternative was a cracked desert, now shush.” James adjusted his legs so he was sitting crosslegged. “We slept in this cave with crystals in all number of colors. They were like the flames in Dumbledore’s forest, but they glowed in the dark and tasted like sugar.”

“You licked them?” Dorcas interrupted, looking horrified. “James!”

“What? I was curious!”

“How the fuck did we survive?” Lily mumbled into her hands.

James rolled his eyes. “I’m getting to that part. In the morning, we decided to follow the broken compass and spent a bunch of time talking about our childhoods. _Somebody_ —” He leveled a mock-glare on Dorcas. “—said we should keep it to one disaster per day, and then this big booming noise shook the trees.”

“Really, sweetheart?” Marlene sighed.

“Nice one, Dorky,” Remus said at the same time. Dorcas smacked both of them lightly on the backs on their heads.

“We started running right away, of course, because this huge fuck-off _boar_ came rumbling through the bushes and it had metal tusks. I thought we were for sure going to die, but Lily pointed to a cliff up ahead, grabbed Dorcas’ hand, and jumped right over it. Moments later, we were all in a whitewater river and tumbling downstream.”

Sirius whistled lowly. “It’s a good thing you can swim, huh?”

Dorcas and Lily both blushed. “Funny story, actually. I was the only one who could swim.” As the others turned to the girls with open mouths, James held his hands up. “I know, I know. Lily paddled to shore while I pulled Dorcas out. Thankfully, Dumbledore’s bag was waterproof, so our stuff wasn’t completely destroyed. We figured out where the _thing_ was pretty soon after that and went to go get it.”

James gave the surrounding tunnels a significant look and Sirius nodded. It wasn’t worth telling Snape everything about their secret weapon if he happened to be eavesdropping. “It’s a good thing you went to Hisanon instead of going straight for the border,” Peter said.

“We probably wouldn’t have caught up in time if you tried walking.” Marlene laced her fingers with Dorcas’ and leaned her head on her shoulder, placing a quick kiss to the junction of her neck.

Faint footsteps made Sirius’ heart sink. He had missed spending time with just the seven of them, and Snape was the worst intruder yet. Even Minerva the cat seemed to tolerate them a bit. He saw similar disappointment on six other faces and tried to rally his optimism. “Lighten up, everyone,” he said quietly, offering a smile. “Four more days if we’re quick.”

Across the circle, Lily smiled; next to him, Remus squeezed his hand.

* * *

The third day was going really, really well until Snape took a wrong turn. Sirius smelled something sickly sweet, like if the wood of Dumbledore’s cottage rotted; behind him, he heard James shout.

“Mama!” Marlene called, her voice breaking as she lunged for one of the side tunnels. Peter caught her around the waist and dragged her back, his eyes wide with panic. “Let me go! Mama, I hear you!”

A child’s elated laughter made Sirius freeze in his tracks and slowly turn. There, mere feet away, was a little boy. He couldn’t have been more than eight—dark curls flopped into wide, trusting grey eyes as he stared upwards. That face had been older, angrier, the last time he had seen it. The total trust in his big brother had vanished years before. “Sirius,” Regulus whined. “Come on, the cookies are going to burn.”

“No,” he choked out, stumbling against the opposite wall. “You’re not real.”

Someone was yelling in the distance; someone else was crying. Sirius couldn’t tear his eyes away from the small child who looked at him like he hung the stars. He blinked, and suddenly Regulus was taller, with lanky limbs and a sullen scowl. “Don’t go. Don’t leave me here with them.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re making a mistake.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

 _Have we always looked so similar?_ Seeing teenage Regulus was like looking in a mirror, if the mirror made him more angular and stripped away the love that James’ family had helped him cultivate. “You _left me_ and I was _alone_. I hate you.”

“Reg, please—”

“Sirius!”

Dizziness washed over him as someone’s hand clamped down on his shoulder. “Sirius, look at me!”

“No, no, he needs me.”

“Sirius, it’s not real!” _I know you. Why do I know you?_

Regulus went fuzzy, leaving an empty tunnel and a wisp of smoke where he had been before refocusing. “I could be dead, Siri, and you wouldn’t know.”

Sirius held his hands over his ears, but the voice continued to ring. “I would know, _I would know_.”

“How? How could you know?”

“—ook at me! Sirius, _please_!” Regulus vanished again, replaced by shimmering golden eyes that danced in the torchlight. Freckles decorated a scarred nose and cheeks. _I know you_. “I don’t know who you’re seeing, but they aren’t there.”

A faint whisper of Regulus’ voice passed his ear, but it didn’t sound right. It was a mere memory, faded by time and repression until the scornful tone was just slightly off and he rested his weight on the wrong leg. _Regulus was left-handed_ , Sirius remembered out of the blue. _Like me._

Bright light blinded him and he flinched as fresh air billowed in. He cracked one eye open after a moment and saw Dorcas yanking her spear out of a brand-new hole in the ceiling, breathing heavily as she strapped it to her back again. “Is everyone alright?” she asked in a trembling voice.

The source of the crying he had heard earlier was Marlene, who was slumped against the tunnel wall with Peter’s arm around her shoulders as silent tears coursed down her face. “Jamie,” Sirius murmured, taking a stumbling step forward.

“He’s alright, Lily’s got him.” Remus didn’t let go of his forearms, which saved him from face-planting into the dirt as his knees knocked together. Sure enough, James was staring at an empty tunnel in stricken confusion as Lily held him tight around the chest despite their height difference.

“He was there,” James said hoarsely. “Granddad, I saw him.”

“No, you didn’t.” Sirius swallowed thickly as he slowly came back to reality. “Jamie, it was a hallucination.”

“How do you know?”

“I saw him.” He sounded strangled, even to his own ears. “I saw _him_.”

Understanding filled James’ face and he slumped; Lily let go, but kept one arm over the small of his back just in case. “Good thinking, Dorcas,” Remus said as they rejoined the group.

Dorcas shook her head and leaned it on his shoulder silently. “We need to keep going,” Snape said.

“Shut the fuck up,” Marlene snapped. “Give us five minutes to recover, will you?”

“Thanks to your new skylight, you’ll be a million times easier to track—”

“That’s enough, Sev,” Lily said wearily. “We’re taking a break.”

Judging by the sunlight that shone through the hole in the ceiling, evening was approaching in the outside world. Sirius let the cool breeze wash over his face as he slid down the wall, resting one hand on James’ arm and the other around Remus’ wrist. _We could climb up right now_ , he thought as tiny stars began to appear. _We could leave these horrible tunnels and cross the mountains and find our own way into Os Anguis_. _I’d rather face a hundred bears in the forest than see that again._

The rest of the day’s journey was unusually quiet. They ate in near silence and slept with little distance between them—Sirius was not surprised by that fact, considering how much he craved solid physical contact after everything that had happened. “Did you see anyone?” he whispered when the snores began.

Remus’ shoulders tensed, then relaxed as he rolled over to face Sirius. “Yeah.”

“Can I ask who?”

“Her name is Penny. Penelope. She turned eleven last May.” The fond look on his face was replaced by sadness. “She kept saying she was lost and she looked so scared.”

“She lived in Varghal?”

Remus nodded. “I don’t know what happened to her in the raid. She has a talent for sneaking off, and I didn’t see any sign of her when I went back, but…”

“But you’re worried.”

“I am. I’m worried about all of them.” He paused. “Can I ask who you saw?”

For a moment, Sirius almost told him. The words got stuck in his throat, though, and he swallowed them down again. “I’d rather you didn’t. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Your business is your own.” Sirius shifted so their knees touched, and he smiled. “Goodnight, Sirius.”

“Night, Remus.”

As the first tendrils of sleep coiled around him, he braced for dark, shadowed dreams. But none came, and before he knew it the muffled sounds of his friends waking up drew him from sleep. Every joint creaked as he sat up, and judging by the looks on everyone else’s faces, they were facing the same problem.

“You know what I miss? My bed,” Marlene said as she stretched her neck out.

“Sorry I couldn’t find anything better.” Snape shot her a look from the tunnel entrance.

“What’s your problem?” Dorcas rubbed the grit from her eyes. “Ever since we got here, you’re been nothing but rude.”

“Says you!”

“Were we supposed to blindly trust the random guy who just showed up out of nowhere after weeks of being hunted?” Peter asked with a humorless laugh. “You haven’t exactly given us a reason to.”

“Can we _please_ make it two more days without killing each other?” Lily begged. “Two days, and then we’ll be out of each other’s hair.”

“Sounds great to me. The sooner you start moving, the sooner we get there.” With a hearty scowl, Snape lit a new torch and began impatiently tapping his foot as they pulled their stuff together once more. It took less than two minutes, but from the look on his face it may as well have taken a year.

Even the insulated underground was chillier than the tunnels they started in. Sirius hoped that meant they were getting to the other side of the mountains, which would put them close enough to Os Anguis to end the shortcut early and leave their guide behind. They stayed in a tight group, all on high alert for any sign of bats, worms, or pockets of tunnel gas.

In fact, if they hadn’t been so attentive, they might have missed the noise.

A clattering sound made everyone stop immediately. “You idiot!” someone hissed. “They’ll hear us!”

Sirius’ blood drained to his feet at the same time adrenaline shot through his veins. _Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck_ —“You traitor,” he snarled, rounding on Snape, who had gone pale. “You sold us out.”

“You’re a Death Eater, aren’t you?” Dorcas pulled her bow off her back.

“No, I—I’m not—”

“Severus.” Lily sounded wounded. “What did you do?”

“I’m not a Death Eater,” he said desperately as they all drew their weapons and closed ranks, scanning the surrounding area for movement. “They told me that if I led you into the tunnels, they’d make sure my mother was elected.”

“And you were stupid enough to believe that.” James’ voice was cold and hard as slate.

“It’s not stupid, it’s survival!”

“What else did they promise you?” Marlene demanded. When he didn’t answer, she flexed her wrist and one of her knives slid into her hand. “What else, Snivellus?”

He remained silent, but his eyes slid to Lily for half a second. “You slimy bastard,” Remus growled around clenched teeth.

“They promised they’d spare you, Lily, I had to.” He stepped toward her, only for an armory’s worth of sharp objects to center on him. “I had to.”

She shook her head. “No, you didn’t.”

Hurried footsteps filled the tunnels around them, coming from the left, right, and behind. They were surrounded, and it sounded like the Death Eaters had learned their lesson about traveling in small groups. “Tell us the way out.” Sirius leveled the point of his sword on Snape’s neck.

“They’ll kill me.”

“They’ll kill you either way, dumbass. You mother was never going to keep the throne for long. Now tell us where the exit is and we’ll let you get a head start to hide.”

“Lily—” he cut off briefly when all of them bristled. “Lily, if you come with me, I’ll call them off.”

Lily walked forward until they were face to face. For the past four days, she had made herself small around Snape, as if she was trying to be someone she had long outgrown. Now, she was the immovable force that Sirius remembered, her jaw set and her green eyes flashing with fury. “I’m not your fucking pawn, you son of a bitch.”

In a smooth motion, she raised her axe and slammed the hilt of it into his temple. Snape crumpled with a dull _thud_. “We need to get out of here before they see us.” Marlene sheathed her knife and drew her sword, flexing her hands around the grip.

“Up there!” An unfamiliar voice shouted. Cold fear bolted through Sirius’ gut and all seven of them took off running with Peter’s torch leading the way. Part of him wanted to extinguish it, but he knew they would never make it out without light. “You can’t run forever!”

 _Watch me_. Somebody stumbled and he grabbed the back of their collar, steadying them without breaking stride. There was a flash of motion down a nearby tunnel and Peter took a sharp turn; Sirius came to a screeching halt as he followed them into a dead end.

“ _Shit_ ,” Dorcas cursed under her breath. “What now?”

“Follow me!” James whispered, hurrying to the end and swinging his leg over a lump. _Not a lump. A carcass_.

The sand worm was even bigger than Sirius had imagined and he had to jump slightly to get over its side. It seemed to have died recently—there was no smell, and it stayed solid as he pressed his back against it. Just as Lily hauled herself over and Peter shielded the torchlight with his pack, someone entered the tunnel.

“It’s a dead end,” a low voice snarled. “Dammit, Yaxley!”

“Shut up, Lestrange, I swear I saw them!”

Lestrange swore viciously. “Well, clearly not. Now we’re fucking lost!”

“We’re not lost! I’m not stupid, I know where the exit is.”

“Oh, yeah? Then prove it.”

Sirius turned to James, wide-eyed. “All we have to do is go back to the main path with the river rocks, dumbass! If you read the maps, then you’d know that.”

 _River rocks?_ Sirius wracked his brain. Yes, that seemed familiar. Snape usually stuck to paths with shiny oblong rocks in them; he hadn’t put together the pattern before now, but it made sense that a merchant network would need some sort of guidance. Marlene gripped his forearm in excitement.

A shout went up somewhere else. “Yaxley, Lestrange, we found Snape!” a nasal voice cackled. “Got himself knocked out by those prissy royals. How much do you want to bet his little girlfriend did it?”

The footsteps retreated—after a heartbeat of hesitation, Sirius peeked over the edge of the worm and saw an empty tunnel. “Let’s go,” he said as quietly as he could, sliding over the side once more.

The search for the main path was much easier once they knew what they were looking for. They found the river rock in no time; it was cool to the touch and smooth against the rough mud of the walls. Sirius was just beginning to have hope when a pack of Death Eaters ran down a nearby corridor, forcing them all against the wall.

“Nott and Goyle are watching the exit,” the same nasal voice said. “More are on the way for backup if those stuck-up weasels try to slip past.”

Sirius let his head fall back with a _thump_. They had been so close. How were they always _so close_ and never _there_? Soon, the area was dead silent once more, save for their breathing. “We need a distraction,” Peter said quietly. “Something to draw them away.”

They all knew it was true. They also knew someone would have to stay behind to do it. “I can do it,” Lily and James said at the same time.

“Both of you, shut up.” Remus’ voice was soft. “I’ll distract them while you go.”

“Absolutely not,” Sirius said without hesitation.

He turned to him with pleading eyes. “Sirius, you trusted me in the forest, I need you to trust me here—”

“This is _different_!” he hissed. “Following you after a cat is one thing, but this…”

“Nobody gets left behind.” Marlene’s voice shook. “Nobody. We go out together or not at all.”

“You don’t understand, I can _do this_ ,” Remus insisted. “Dorcas, please.”

A choked-off sob escaped her throat. “Be careful. Promise you’ll be careful.”

“Dorcas, _no_ ,” Sirius and Marlene both said.

Remus ran a hand through his hair. “It’s—this isn’t what it looks like, you just have to trust me.”

“Please don’t do this.” Sirius felt tears prickling at his eyes again. “Remus, please, don’t run away again.”

“This is the only way out.”

“We’ll find another way.” Sirius’ breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t lose him again, not when he knew there was no way Remus would survive facing off against that many Death Eaters alone. “At least let me come with you.”

Remus shook his head. Distant clanging echoed off the walls and they all inhaled sharply. “I _will_ come back to you.”

“How can you possibly promise that?” _If you go, I’ll follow. I can’t lose you again._

For a moment, the world stood still. Sirius’ pulse was racing and his whole body was shaking with terror and grief, but his eyes were locked on warm amber that he was afraid he’d never see again.

Then Remus blew out a short breath, grabbed him by the front of the shirt, and kissed him.

It felt like coming home, like the tide rolling to shore, like the moment lightning touched the earth. Sirius cradled his face in his hands, tasting the salt of tears and the sweetness of _I’ve got you_. Remus kissed him like it was agony, like it was a blessing, like it was the end of the world.

And then they separated, and damp tunnel air filled his lungs once more. “That’s my promise,” Remus said against his lips before stepping back. “Now you have to go. Go!”

“I hear them!” Lestrange called, far too close for comfort.

Sirius met Remus’ eyes one last time before James’ hand closed around his arm and tugged gently. “Jamie—”

“I know,” he croaked as tears shone in his eyes. “But we have to trust him.”

Though it felt like someone was twisting a knife in his gut, he nodded. He caught one last glimpse of Remus over his shoulder as they ran along the main path—light from many torches illuminated his silhouette before he disappeared into the shadows. Sirius covered his mouth to muffle any sound and poured on speed, calling on all his adrenaline to keep him moving even while every nerve screamed for him to turn around.

“I see one!” someone shouted, followed by a series of catcalling jeers. “Come here, you little rat!”

Silvery light flooded the tunnel up ahead. There were no guards standing watch. The evening sun and clear air hit Sirius like a brick to the face as the six of them kept running, leaving the tunnels behind and aiming for the forest with all the speed they could muster. _We’re safe_ , he thought as they crashed through the tree line.

_But at what cost?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another angsty ending, oops :)
> 
> Thank you to prependoulia and, of course, the incredible mayitbe for your comments. You had a greater impact on this chapter's release than you'll ever know <3 Please leave comments and kudos, since they are the main motivator for publishing this and I love hearing from you!
> 
> Songs for this chapter:  
> \- Her Sweet Kiss (Witcher soundtrack) for the kiss scene, just switch the pronouns!


	9. Taking Stock

Sirius’ knees hit the ground hard, but he barely felt it as he dug his fingers into the earth and squeezed his eyes shut. His legs were exhausted from running and he could hardly draw breath.

 _That’s my promise_.

_I see one!_

_You have to go. Go!_

A warm arm wrapped around him, holding him tight. “I know,” Dorcas said quietly as he leaned into her. “I know, but we have to believe he’ll be okay.”

“He left.”

“I know.”

“ _Again_.” A hard shiver wracked his shoulders. “Why can’t he just stay for once?”

Dorcas said nothing.

“We should keep going,” Peter panted. “It’s not safe to be anywhere close.”

“We’ve been running for ages.” His voice cracked and he winced. “Please, he—he won’t be able to find us if we go too much further.”

“Sirius, we can’t stay out in the open,” Lily said. “Come on, there has to be a shelter we can use somewhere around here.”

After a gentle tug from Dorcas, he stood on unsteady legs and brushed the dirt from his pants. Biting wind howled around them, signaling the oncoming winter—on the horizon, the mountains still stood tall and unmoving.

 _But we’re here_ , he thought as the group set off once again. _We’re in Silvalith and we’re still alive._

If he closed his eyes, he could still feel Remus’ lips on his own, warm and desperate as Sirius tried to keep him in reach. All those nights of longing and all those days of watching from a safe distance, and for what? To be left in the tunnels on some half-baked hope?

Sirius swallowed down the bitterness. _No. He did this to protect you, not to hurt you._

The guilt was even worse than the aching loss.

They slowed their pace, walking in silence through the creaking trees and flinching at every small sound; every weapon was unsheathed, each arrow nocked. James squinted at something up ahead and jogged forward. “Hello? Is anyone here?”

“Shhh!” Marlene and Peter hissed at the same time. He glanced around the woods, but the only thing that moved was a frightened rabbit vanishing into the underbrush.

A small hut came into view as they crested the hill—it looked sturdy, if a bit dilapidated. James crept to the door and nudged it open with his elbow before stepping inside. “Hello?” He reappeared half a second later. “It’s empty. Looks like someone left in a hurry.”

“I’d rather not find out why,” Sirius muttered as he hiked up to join him.

“This is desolate,” Marlene sighed, rolling an overturned bucket back onto its base. “No firewood or anything.”

“We shouldn’t light a fire. Not tonight, at least, while they’re still on our tail.” Sirius grimaced as a large spider scuttled out of the empty window into the gathering dusk. “We can’t cook anything, either. Does anyone know about berries in this area?”

“I didn’t see any out there,” Peter said. “Just lots and lots of trees.”

 _At least we have some cover._ Sirius ran his hands over his eyes and traced the hilt of his sword. “Right then, I’ll take first watch.”

“I’ll go with you,” Dorcas said immediately.

The sun had set when they stepped out again, but the mountains to the west were painted in deep lavender-grays that brought a burning reminder of Varghal in Sirius’ memory. Dorcas’ eyes lingered on them as they found a dry place to sit, back-to-back.

“He’ll be alright,” Sirius murmured.

“Yeah.”

“You know something about him that the rest of us don’t.”

Dorcas let out a long, slow breath. “I do.”

“I think—” Sirius pressed his lips together. “I think he was going to tell me.”

“Oh?”

“Last week, we were talking and he got all weird all of a sudden. I asked him about it in the tunnels and he said it was a family secret. He would’ve told me at the river, but Marlene interrupted.”

“Ah. She has a knack for that.” He could hear the smile in her voice.

“I’m so sorry, by the way. You two should be planning for a wedding, not…”

“Running for our lives from assassins?” she supplied. “It wasn’t scheduled until the spring, anyway. We’ve got some wiggle room to kick ass and kill a monarch.”

Sirius paused. “We’re actually going to kill him, aren’t we?”

“I think we have to.” The air turned heavy. “Sirius, I have a bad feeling about this. If we need a magical dagger to kill Riddle, he’s going to have tricks up his sleeve, and I don’t like being in the dark.”

“Expect the unexpected,” he said wryly. “He might be like Dumbledore and have a weird cat instead.”

Dorcas laughed under her breath. “I don’t know how you do that.”

“Do what?”

“Make jokes. Your family is in imminent danger, you just got kissed and ditched, and if you’re anything like me, your ass is freezing to the ground as we speak.”

“The only other option is hysterical screaming. I can give that a shot if you like?”

They both laughed at that, then faded into quiet as the night set in, clear and cold. After the stale dampness of the tunnels, Sirius welcomed every fresh breeze or wisp of cloud passing over the stars. _The Lion. The Bear. The Swan. The Hunter._

_Sirius. Regulus. Bellatrix._

Foxes and small rodents wandered about, accompanied by the low songs of owls and the whispering branches. Far away, something large lumbered along, but it did not come close enough to the camp for either of them to tense. There was no sign of the Death Eaters. No sign of Remus.

Sirius and Dorcas waited silently in the dark.

After an indeterminate amount of time, James and Lily came out of the cottage. “Our turn,” she whispered.

“I’m not tired,” Sirius and Dorcas said in unison.

“We need you both to be awake and ready for anything that comes by.” James tapped Sirius’ leg with his foot. “ _I_ need you both to be okay. Sleep will help.”

Dorcas didn’t budge. “I won’t be able to sleep. I’m more help here than lying awake in a cottage.”

“At least close your eyes for a bit?” Lily suggested. “Nobody is sleeping well right now, but just resting for a few minutes made me feel worlds better.”

James held his hands out to help them to their feet. “We’ll tell you if he comes back, alright?”

Sirius shared a look with Dorcas; after a moment’s hesitation, she nodded. “Alright.”

Lily was right—everyone else was awake when they entered. Dorcas went over and curled up against Marlene, who instinctively wrapped an arm around her and kissed the back of her neck, murmuring something. Sirius laid down on the outside of the group, next to Peter.

“That’s you, right?” Peter pointed through the window at a bright speck in the sky. Sirius hummed. “It’s pretty cool, being named after a star. There are loads of Peters out and about.”

“None quite like you, though.” Sirius nudged him in the ribs. “I’m glad you came with us.”

“Well, it was that or death,” he said dryly. They laughed, even though the joke wasn’t all that funny. “I’m so fucking tired of running.”

“And yet here we are.”

“I miss Remus. It feels like he’s just outside, but…he’s not.”

Sirius sighed as a pang rippled through his torso. “I miss him, too.”

“When we started this—” Peter stopped and cleared his throat. “When we started this, that first night in the passage, I promised myself that none of us would get hurt. That we would all stick together for as long as it took to get home. I’ve broken that promise so many times now.”

“When I moved in with James, I swore I would never leave his side.” Sirius scooted closer until their shoulders touched. “Look how well _that_ turned out. The asshole went all the way to the Wildland without me.”

Peter snickered softly.

“But guess what.”

“Hmm?”

“He came back. Pete, of all the people to go on a cross-continent, death-on-your-tail, getting-ready-to-kill-a-king trek with, you managed to find six of the most stubborn fuckers in the world. Remus is going to come back because we still have work to do, and none of us give up without a fight.”

“Has anyone told you you’re amazing at pep talks?”

“No, but they should.” Even Marlene and Dorcas laughed at that, and a weight eased off Sirius’ chest. “Get some sleep, Pete. You and Marley have the next watch.”

Sirius stared out the window until the stars blurred together and the washes of indigo and blue looked like swirling waves. He closed his eyes, picturing the sparkling teal ocean of Harindvar and the soothing crash as it met the shore. Sirius always left his bedroom windows open, no matter the season, just to hear that sound each night; fuck, he even missed the screeching seagulls.

His dreams were vague and smudged, as if someone had swiped their hand through the picture it was supposed to make. He heard snippets of voices and saw the occasional familiar color—reddish orange for Lily, deep brown for Dorcas, warm amber for Remus. Coconut and sandalwood carried on the warm breeze that blew over his face.

And someone started shouting.

Sirius sat bolt upright, already reaching for his sword as the exhaustion fled his body and Marlene sprinted for the door. “Just hang on!” James said outside. “Pete! Peter, get over here _now_!”

The sky was turning pink at the edges when Sirius threw the cottage door open and ran outside; James was dragging someone out of the woods with an arm around their waist as Lily supported their other side. Blood stained the fresh snow in their wake.

“Just hold on,” James ordered as Peter blocked the person from view. “Remus, keep your eyes on me. You’re going to be alright.”

 _Remus_.

Sirius’ brain shuddered to a halt and he froze. Shock painted Dorcas’ face—Marlene took her carefully by the shoulders and guided her out of the way as James and Lily carried Remus toward the cottage. “Sirius,” Remus muttered as they passed him. His eyes were unfocused and his head lolled to the side. “Sirius.”

“He’s here,” Lily said shakily. “He’s right over here, Remus, just keep talking.”

“Came back. Promised. Tell Sirius.”

_That’s my promise. Now you have to go. Go!_

Sirius was moving before he even registered taking a breath. Peter was cutting Remus’ shirt off him when he entered the house—blood stained the entire expanse of his torso and surrounded his mouth, smearing up onto his cheekbones and painting his neck and hands. “Get me water and some bandages,” Peter ordered, yanking the ruined fabric off his shoulders. The blood had soaked through onto his skin. “Do we have a needle and thread?”

“No.”

“If he needs stitches, we’re fucked. Get me some water so I can see where he’s bleeding.”

“Everywhere,” Sirius whispered, though nobody seemed to hear him. “He’s bleeding everywhere.”

He walked to Remus’ side in a daze and sat heavily by his shoulder, reaching down to hold his hand; it was sticky and red. The background noise of Peter and the others turned into a muffled buzz as Remus took a wavering breath and looked at him at last. “Promised,” he mumbled through bloodstained lips, squeezing Sirius’ hand. “Came back. Promised. So sorry.”

And then he passed out.

Someone filled the dented bucket with snow while another built a small fire to melt it. They had no extra bandages, so Peter rinsed Remus’ shirt to get some of the blood off it before using it as a rag to clean his chest, neck and face—it took a few passes until the water ran pink instead of pure red.

To their collective astonishment, Remus was untouched.

Small bruises littered his ribs and arms, along with scars that had turned silver with age, but no fresh wounds marred him. _Freckles_ , Sirius thought, trailing his hand along Remus’ upper arm. _Freckles_.

Peter opened and closed his mouth a couple times. “Well, that was a waste of a shirt,” he said at last. “He’s…fine.”

“He’s exhausted.” Dorcas sat down and brushed a few tawny curls off his forehead.

“I’m—I’m going to clean his sword, I think,” Marlene said faintly, picking the scabbard up with shaking hands. “It’ll rust otherwise. He’d be upset.”

“He would.”

She settled down in the corner of the room, swallowing thickly before pulling it slowly out of the sheath. The blade was shiny as new. Dorcas winced.

“What the fuck?” James murmured. “Did he take the time to clean it?”

“Who cares?” Sirius ran his thumb over Remus’ knuckles, rubbing warmth into his limp hand. “He’s back and he’s alive. Does anything else matter?”

The unspoken _yes_ itched the back of his neck, but he studiously ignored it and moved closer to Remus, keeping a tight hold on his hand. There was a small bit of blood stretching from his lip to his jaw, which Sirius wiped away with Peter’s cloth.

Sunlight tracked across the dirt floor as the morning awoke; Peter dampened his makeshift rag every half hour or so and placed it over Remus’ forehead while Dorcas and Sirius sat silent vigil at his sides. _Wake up_ , he thought again and again. _Wake up, wake up, wake up. We need you_.

“Sirius, Dorcas, you should get outside,” Peter said. “The only thing we can do is wait for him to wake up.”

“Then we’ll wait,” Sirius snapped. When he looked to Dorcas for support, her shoulders slumped and she stood, pressing a chaste kiss to Remus’ wrist before walking out the door. Peter’s gaze lingered on him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He laid down when his back finally began cramping, leaving enough distance between himself and Remus to not be creepy, but remaining close enough to share his warmth. He drifted between sleep and total attentiveness until noon passed and he grew restless with nerves. “Fuck,” he muttered, sitting up and slowly taking his hand out of Remus’, who barely twitched.

“I’ll let you know if something changes,” Peter said as he all but stomped outside. There were too many emotions wreaking havoc on him at one time.

“Marlene!” She looked over and raised an eyebrow when he unsheathed his sword. “Fight me.”

“…what?”

“Fight me. You’re the best of us, I’m about to crawl out of my skin, and if we have to face a dozen Death Eaters again, I’d rather fight them myself than leave any of you behind.”

Marlene shrugged and stood, taking her own sword out and spinning it once in her hand. She darted forward without warning in a wicked upstroke that Sirius easily parried; the sound of metal on metal as they traded blows grounded his mind to his body once again and he redoubled his attacks. She smiled.

“Come on, you’re better than that!” Sirius taunted.

Marlene laughed, feinting right before twisting to the left and smacking his side with the flat of her blade. “Damn right, I am. Come on, pretty boy, let’s go!”

The melted snow underfoot made the terrain slippery, but Sirius gritted his teeth and let muscle memory take over. Regulus had always been a fan of knives in their training, while Sirius tended toward the more dramatically classic weapons. Maybe things would have turned out different if they had been able to share a common interest.

Marlene quickly pulled his attention back with a hard slap to the back of his shin. “You just lost a leg!”

“It was barely a scratch!”

“Bullshit.”

Sirius nearly sliced off the end of her braid and she scowled, taking one, two, three swings at him before swiping his ankles and sending him to the ground with an _oof_. Her knee pressed into his sternum—the edge of her blade was icy against his neck.

“He’s awake,” Peter said from the doorway, and Sirius nearly slit his own throat scrambling to his feet.

It took him barely five seconds to reach the door, leaving his sword discarded on the ground as his mind raced with a million and one things to say. Remus was sitting up when he careened into the doorframe, out of breath; his curls were all over the place and he looked groggy, but alert. He smiled at Sirius.

“You son of a bitch.”

The smile slid from his face like water on a bird’s wing. “What?”

“You _son_ of a _bitch_. What the fuck were you thinking?” Peter carefully stepped out of the line of fire. Flames roared in his ears. “Doesn’t matter that I’ve got six other people who are willing to fight by my side, oh, no, let’s go run off into the death zone instead! Holy shit, Remus, use your brain!”

“What?”

Sirius huffed out a furious exhale. “You have _friends_ now.”

“Yes?”

“You have six friends who would die by your side if you asked them to, and you _left_ us. Twice!” His throat tightened. “You don’t fucking do that to your friends. And you know what else? You don’t kiss someone and then run off and leave them to wonder whether you’re going to keep your promise or get slaughtered in a tunnel instead.”

Remus winced. “I’m sorry.”

“Apology fucking accepted. Get over here and kiss me again before I change my mind.” From the look on his face, Sirius may as well have smacked him between the eyes with a frying pan. “Well?”

Remus hurried to stand up, nearly tripping over the various scattered items in his rush to reach Sirius. They collided, and Sirius’ brain whited out as their lips met once again; he wrapped his arms around Remus’ chest and lifted him slightly off the ground, drawing a surprised noise from his mouth.

He pulled away and gave him a little shake. “Never do that again.”

“Okay.”

Sirius tucked his face into Remus’ neck and hugged him tight, closing his eyes against the prickling that threatened to spill over. His bare back was smooth, save for the ridges of each scar and muscle, which Sirius traced gently with his palms. He let Remus go and drew him back down for a short, slow kiss, one that he felt all the way in his toes.

“Do we get a turn, too?” James asked behind him, sounding amused and relieved at the same time. Sirius stepped aside and James gave Remus a quick hug, ruffling his hair. “You’re one lucky bastard.”

Remus laughed and Lily took James’ place, followed by Marlene, and finally Dorcas. Theirs was the longest embrace; they swayed in place for a moment. “I’m sorry,” he muttered without opening his eyes.

“I know.” She gave him one last squeeze before pulling away.

“Does anyone know where my shirt is?”

In the doorway, Peter blanched.

* * *

That night, Sirius slotted himself against Remus’ side and wrapped an arm around his chest, close enough that he could feel his heartbeat. James’ overshirt was the only article of clothing that fit him, which left them both looking a little odd and half-dressed.

“I’m so glad you’re alright,” he said quietly. Peter snored loudly on the other side of the room and they both laughed under their breath.

A light kiss pressed against the top of his head. “I made a promise, didn’t I?”

“Still. Promise me you’ll stay with me, with all of us, until this is over.”

Remus shifted onto his side and Sirius momentarily mourned the loss of contact before their noses brushed and Remus looked him in the eye, more solemn than he had seen yet. “I promise.”

Sirius leaned in and kissed him again, just because he could. They could take their time now, in the dark of the night while their friends slept properly for the first time in days. Remus caught his lower lip between his teeth and tugged it gently, making him gasp as he cupped his jaw in his hand.

“If you two even _think_ about having sex, I’ll flay you myself,” Marlene grumbled.

“Marlene!” Sirius rested his head against Remus’ collarbone and tried to quell the rising heat in his face. “Nothing was happening!”

Five different voices began protesting at once; even Peter woke up enough to add his two cents. “Alright, alright, we get it!” Remus interrupted. “I don’t remember any of you throwing a fit with Marlene and Dorcas, though.”

“We didn’t start making out in the middle of the woods in a creepy old hut!” Dorcas said indignantly. “There is a _line_ , Remus!”

“For the last time, _nothing was happening_.”

“Tell that to your boyfriend, he seems to have missed the memo,” James said drily. Sirius propped himself up on his elbow and reached over to smack him on the arm. “Hey!”

“Can we please just get some sleep?” Peter yawned. “To any of the couples: please keep your hands to yourselves for the remainder of the night.”

“What about our mouths?” Marlene asked coyly, which set off a whole new chorus that only ended when Peter rolled over them and settled down in the middle.

“There. Done. Now go to sleep, all of you.”

Sirius laid his head on Remus’ chest once again and slender fingers began combing through his hair as his eyes drifted shut. He kissed the top of his ribs once, feeling the tug of drowsiness at the edge of his consciousness. _Safe. I’m safe._ His muscles relaxed at last, and he slept.

\--

“I’m so fucking hungry,” was the first thing anyone said when they woke to the freezing morning.

“Cheers, Re,” Dorcas groaned as she sat up. Sirius’ stomach grumbled its agreement and he winced—the last time he ate was in the tunnels, when each of them got a handful of stale jerky and some dried fruits right before they were almost murdered. He was ready to start chewing on rocks.

“Where’s the next town?”

“Hell if I know. We don’t have much money left, anyway.”

“We have money?” James asked, incredulous. “Since when?”

“Since Marlene beat the shit out of a guy in a bar fight.” Sirius grinned at him and stretched.

“It was a _duel_ , not a bar fight.” Marlene rolled her eyes, though she looked rather proud. “We have enough for three, maybe four meals for all seven of us. Five if we stretch it.”

Lily shook her head and stood, wincing at the stiffness in her leg. “We still have to cross the mountains, and we’ll freeze to death if we keep running about in these clothes with no shelter and no supplies. I say we find a town and stock up, then keep moving.”

“Sounds good to me,” Sirius said as the rest mumbled their agreement. “What’s for breakfast?”

They had no choice but to light another small fire outside the hut; their breath steamed in the air and Sirius’ joints creaked if he forgot to keep bouncing on his toes. James and Dorcas disappeared for a bit and returned with a pile of dead squirrels, along with a few blunted arrows that Lily loaned her whetstone to sharpen again.

Sirius grimaced when Marlene handed him a spare knife to skin his squirrel. “Is there a particular way I should do this?”

“It’s pretty easy,” Remus said with a shrug as he sliced open the rodent, gutted it, and was soon left with the bare meat and bones. Sirius blinked. _Should I throw up or kiss him?_

“Right then. So I just…?”

“Down the middle, yeah.”

His first attempt was shaky at best, but eventually he was able to pop it on a stick and hold it out over the fire, copying James’ slow rotation. After about half an hour, it was cooked through, if not a bit charred. “Oh, fuck,” he hissed as he burned his tongue on the outside.

“Careful,” Dorcas snickered.

“Wow, thank you for such a timely warning,” he said sarcastically. She flicked a bit of charcoal at him and he flipped her off. Marlene also looked a bit queasy at the thought of chowing down on a small forest creature, so he offered her a weak smile before digging in once again. “How are the rest of you so calm about this?”

“This is all we ate on the way back from the Wildland,” James said around a mouthful of squirrel meat. “None of us were willing to risk accidentally poisoning ourselves with berries.”

“It’s basically rabbit,” Peter said casually. “A little chewier, though.”

Remus gave him an unimpressed look, though there was some affection in his slight smile. “Would you want to import food to a snowbound country in the dead of winter?”

“Fair point.” The meat was somehow sweet and savory at the same time. “At least it’s warm.”

“At least it’s warm,” the others agreed, holding their squirrels up in a toast before dissolving into laughter.

The squirrels, while tasty, were rather small and made for a quick meal. They were on the road less than an hour later and Sirius’ feet took great pleasure in reminding him just how much running he had done over the past few days. He kicked a rock down the path and it skipped next to James, who punted it a few meters further. “Bet you I can hit that tree trunk,” Sirius said, giving him a quick nudge and pointing up ahead.

James scoffed. “Bullshit.”

“Watch me!”

Sirius wound up for a solid kick, only for Remus to grab his shoulder and stop in his tracks. His eyes scanned the trees, bright and alert. “Wait.”

“What is it?” Dorcas asked, pulling her spear off her back. Sirius’ fingers twitched toward his hilt and there was a thin grating noise as Peter drew his blade.

Something black flashed in the trees. “Death Eaters!” he shouted, pulling his sword out of the sheath just in time to knock aside a narrow knife. Ten figures erupted from the woods, charging swiftly from all directions. They were trapped.

One fell with a choked scream as James’ arrow embedded in their chest; another engaged with Marlene, sword against sword. _Close combat. No bows_.

“Jamie!”

“What?” He grabbed a spare arrow and stabbed it into a Death Eater’s thigh before nocking it and firing at another, who hit the deck just in time.

“Catch!” Sirius only had enough time to think _fuck, I hope this works_ before tossing the knife to James, who snatched it out of midair and ducked a blow from his attacker. It was a poor weapon for actual combat, but it was something.

Sirius snapped back to the present as a lithe assassin flew at him, their cloak fluttering in the breeze. “Hello, Siri,” a familiar voice hissed. His veins ran cold as she wrenched her face covering down and revealed a mad, toothy smile.

“Bellatrix.”

“Long time, no see.” She darted forward and he barely blocked her dagger; she cackled, high and eerie. “Reggie says hello, by the way. Shame he couldn’t make it. Would’ve been nice to have a little family reunion to spill your traitor blood.”

“Stay away from him,” Sirius snarled; his vision went red at the edges as his pulse raced and he went on the offense, slashing toward her while staying just out of arm’s reach of her blade.

Bellatrix laughed again and a gleam lit in her eye. She was just playing with him now. “But he’s so much more fun! Much less dull than you were, that’s for sure.” His sword skidded off the front of her chest and she growled at the scratch it left on the black leather chestplate. “Watch yourself. Someone could get hurt.”

“I’m counting on it.” The sounds of battle continued around them, but he kept his focus firmly on Bellatrix’s dagger as they locked in a deadly dance. Any distraction would certainly be fatal.

Someone shouted behind him and metal clattered on the stones. “Remus!” James yelled, sounding panicked.

Sirius’ eyes flicker over on reflex; in half a second, he was on the ground with Bellatrix hovering over him and only just managed to bring his blade up to halt her viper-like stab toward his face. Two black-clad bodies laid on the ground, though he couldn’t tell if they were dead or alive—Lily drove her elbow into a man’s nose and blood spurted out, giving her the chance to slam the flat of her axe into the side of his head and knock him unconscious.

Bellatrix pressed down and he suppressed a groan when the tip of her dagger drew a fine line along his cheekbone. He tried to kick her in the stomach, but she pinned both his legs down.

Three Death Eaters were advancing on Remus. His sword laid far out of reach and he slowly backed away, gaze flickering between them. “Remus—” Sirius’ breath caught when the motion slid Bellatrix’s dagger down again, sending a trickle of blood toward his ear.

“Who’s that? Your boyfriend?” Her eyes widened and she grinned when he failed to respond. “Oh, I see. I was going to kill you nice and slow anyway, but it’ll be so much more fun if he’s alive to see it. Hey, pup, over here!”

“Sirius, no!” James wrestled a Death Eater to the ground and wrapped an arm around his neck, holding him tight.

“If any of you come close, I’ll kill him right now!” Bellatrix snapped when Lily took a step toward them.

“Help Remus,” Sirius panted. “Help him!”

Bellatrix giggled and looked over at Remus; her long curls, once shiny and royalty-perfect, slid across Sirius’ neck like a snake. “Didn’t you learn your lesson when we visited your hut, little pup?” she sneered, dragging the edge of her knife down Sirius’ cheek until he cried out. “Everyone else might think you’re big and scary, but we both know that’s a lie.”

To Sirius’ shock, utter exasperation replaced the cold fury on Remus’ face and he turned back to the three Death Eaters creeping closer. “Didn’t any of you fucking idiots ever wonder _why_ my city is called the wolf’s den?”

There was an explosion of tan and white, and one of the Death Eaters slammed to the ground without so much as a scream. Apparently, it’s hard to talk when a massive direwolf is standing on your neck.

The direwolf— _no, that’s Remus, what in the unholy fuck?_ —leaped at the other two with a roaring snarl, sinking its teeth into one’s arm whipping around to the other, who backed straight into Marlene’s sword. The remaining three shouted in alarm and sprinted for the cover of the trees despite Bellatrix’s furious orders.

And then the wolf turned to her, its golden stare unblinking. It took one, two, three steady steps, hackles raised and fangs bared as the blood of her companion stained the fur around its mouth. The pressure on Sirius’ face released, replaced by a stinging ache as she slowly stood. Remus snapped his jaws at her and she fled into the forest.

None of them spoke as Sirius scrambled to his feet, then sat down, hard. “I’m—you— _Remus._ ”

The rage on the direwolf’s face disappeared, leaving him almost puppy-like as he sat down and lowered his head guiltily. There was a ripple in the air, and then Remus was sitting crosslegged in the middle of the road with blood around his mouth and dirt on his hands. He coughed. “Um, hi.”

“ _Remus_ ,” Sirius spluttered again.

“Do you have something to share with the class?” James asked faintly. Lily may as well have been a statue, albeit an utterly bewildered one.

“I was going to tell you—”

“What?” Marlene interrupted. “You were going to tell us what? That you turn into a giant dog every once in a while and start ripping arms off?”

“I didn’t rip anyone’s arms off,” Remus defended. “It was a mild bite at worst.” The man on the ground groaned in pain and he winced. “A…moderate bite.”

“You have a little…” Sirius motioned toward his own mouth and Remus quickly wiped at it with his sleeve, which only smeared the blood more. “Nevermind. You broke into my room.”

“I did not! You let me in!”

“It was the middle of the night, you fucker! You slept in my bed!”

“I left as soon as you fell asleep!”

“What the fuck are you two talking about?” Peter asked, looking like he was on the verge of tears.

“And Dorcas, you _knew!_ ” Sirius pointed an accusatory finger at her and she had the decency to flush. “You knew and you didn’t tell me!”

“It wasn’t my secret to tell.”

“This is how you survived, isn’t it?” Lily picked up Remus’ sword and handed it to him. “In the tunnels. That’s why you wanted us to leave, and why your sword was still clean.”

He grimaced. “Yeah. I’m not supposed to tell anyone.”

“Can everyone in Frystmark do that?”

“Some. They usually become warriors.” His eyes turned sad. “My mum can do it.”

The memory of Queen Hope at the banquet, elegant and slender as she pulled Remus away, rose unbidden to Sirius’ mind. “But she was in the carriage. Why didn’t she run?”

Remus shook his head. “She wouldn’t leave my da like that.”

“Did you think we would tell people?” James asked. “Is that why you kept it a secret?”

“I wasn’t sure.” He half-shrugged and picked at the cuff of his pants. “It’s—look, _nobody_ knows. They think the wolves are born and bred like warhorses or livestock. If people found out we were vulnerable like that, Frystmark would have an even bigger target on its head. I didn’t know any of you well enough to reveal a secret that’s been kept for centuries, and once we were actually friends I…kind of felt like it was too late.”

“We still like you,” Peter said. Remus’ shoulders slumped a bit. “Remus, you’re still our friend. Yeah, we’re surprised, but you did just shapeshift into a massive fuck-off wolf so I hope you can cut us some slack.”

They all laughed a bit at that, and the side of Remus’ mouth tugged up. One of the unconscious Death Eaters twitched and the light humor evaporated in an instant. “We should get moving,” Dorcas said. “I don’t want to be here when they get up.”

The closest village sat atop a small hill in the distance—Sirius could just make out the rooftops if he squinted. They gathered their supplies, took any spare weapons from the assassins, and began to walk once more.

“This doesn’t change anything,” Sirius said, bumping Remus’ shoulder with his own. “I still think you’re wonderful. If anything, this adds an extra badass edge.”

Remus huffed a laugh and turned to him, only to frown in concern. “You’re hurt.”

“What? Oh, right.” Sirius touched his cheek and his fingers came away bloody. In the chaos, he had nearly forgotten the burn of Bellatrix’s dagger. “It’s nothing, just a scratch.”

“Here.” Remus paused for a moment and dampened his sleeve with his canteen, gently cleaning the edges of the wound; his hands were warm and steady, but Sirius dodged out of the way when he leaned in. Hurt flashed over his face.

“As much as I want to kiss you right now, you’ve got blood all over your mouth.”

“What? Oh! Oh, sorry about that.” Remus quickly scrubbed at his lips with the damp fabric as they jogged to catch up with the rest of the group. Sirius twined their fingers together and leaned up to kiss his cheek when they slowed down, grinning at the faint blush it brought beneath Remus’ freckles.

“Cute.”

“Yeah, you are.”

“Oh, that was smooth,” he laughed. “What else are you hiding under all those layers of grumpiness?”

Remus smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Sirius’ jaw fell open and Dorcas reached back for a high-five, which Remus happily obliged. As they walked, he began noticing little changes—Remus’ shoulders were more relaxed and he was calmer than before, smiling easily at James’ terrible jokes and leaning into Sirius every once in a while. He seemed…settled.

“What are you smiling at?” Remus asked as they approached the outer wall of the village.

“You.”

The flush spread to his ears, but he didn’t look away, squeezing Sirius’ hand as the gates opened ahead. “Ah, the honeymoon phase.” Marlene sighed and wound her arm around Dorcas’ waist. “Remember when we were gross and romantic?”

Dorcas snorted. “We never stopped.”

“Hmm, true.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss the edge of Dorcas’ jaw.

Several people stopped to stare at them as they wandered down the bustling main street, and Sirius was struck by the sudden thought that they probably should have washed the streaks of blood off their clothes before entering a populated area. He waved awkwardly to a few of them and the group moved into a tighter clump under the lingering looks.

“Does anyone else have a bad feeling?” Lily muttered when they passed a tavern and most of the chatter went quiet.

“Mhmm.” Peter scanned the alleys, his muscles tense. “Let’s not stay the night here, yeah?”

Murmured agreement rippled through them. “We should split into groups so it goes faster,” Dorcas suggested. “We need clothes, supplies, and food, right? That makes two groups of two and one of three.”

“I don’t like splitting up, but I don’t like this place, either,” James sighed, running a hand through his hair. “We’ll meet here when everyone is done. If you have a problem…”

“If we have a problem, we’ll cause enough of a ruckus to send the whole town up,” Sirius said as Marlene began evenly dividing their last coins among them. “I’ll track down winter clothes.”

“I’ll go with you,” Remus volunteered. Marlene and Dorcas went off to find supplies, and the others disappeared into the marketplace mere moments later.

“Is this a date?” Sirius teased as they walked hand-in-hand down the street.

“Do you want it to be?”

Sirius actually laughed at that, jostling Remus gently with his shoulder. “Take a wild guess. Oh, that looks promising.”

The shop smelled musty even from ten feet away and both of them grimaced as the mothball-and-chamomile cloud enveloped them. A tiny old woman in a quilted vest sat behind the counter, watching the shop like a hawk as she knitted something lumpy and vaguely hatlike. Racks upon racks of sweaters, boots, and coats lined the walls—all were too expensive for their meager budget.

“Excuse me?” Remus walked over and she gave him a suspicious look. “Hello. We don’t have much money, but we need winter clothes for a large group.”

“Why?”

Remus paused, and Sirius heaved an internal sigh. “Our houses were burned in some of the border disputes,” he lied easily, stepping forward. “We lost everything, and we’re going to Os Anguis to seek help from the king. The mountains won’t be easy to pass without something to keep us warm.”

Something softened in her flinty eyes. “I’m afraid the king won’t be much help, dear,” she said, patting his hand. “My nephew Benjy was killed by Tidorans coming north and Riddle didn’t do a thing to help us. How much do you have?”

The small pile of coins looked downright pathetic when Remus poured them onto the desk. “We can probably find some more,” Sirius said hastily at her clear hesitation. “Our friends are getting food and blankets but—”

“No. No, this will be fine. How many people are in your group?”

* * *

“That was…surprising,” Remus murmured as they left the shop half an hour later, each carting a leather bag of clothes. They were far from high-quality, and ‘secondhand’ was a fool’s hope for how many different bodies they had seen, but at least they weren’t rags. “I thought she was going to boot us out as soon as we showed her how much money we had.”

“Uh-oh.”

“What? What’s uh-oh?” Sirius wove through the crowd toward their meeting place, keeping a tight hold on Remus’ hand. “Sirius!”

“We need to go,” James said under his breath when they arrived. His eyes were stormy, and Peter kept peering around.

“There they are,” Peter whispered suddenly. Sirius followed his sightline and saw Marlene’s golden curls among the throngs of people, hurrying over to them with blankets tucked under her arm. “Come on.”

Her face was drawn and nervous as they approached. “Guys, we have to go right now—”

“We know,” Lily said, already making her way to the back gate. “We saw.”

“Would anyone care to tell us what’s going on?” Remus asked as he hoisted his pack up further. He and Dorcas seemed to be struggling to push past the pedestrians as easily as Peter and Lily. Wordlessly, James reached back and pressed a paper into Sirius’ hand. He nearly fell over when he saw the writing.

_Wanted for the crimes of murder, assault, theft, trespassing, and attempted treason:_

_Prince Remus of Frystmark_

_Lady Dorcas of Marajis_

_Princess Marlene of Tidoras_

_Squire Peter of Tidoras_

_Representative James of the Eastern Coast_

_Sirius Black, their companion_

_Lily Evans, their companion_

_If seen, alert the nearest guard station. They are armed and dangerous._

“Lily, they know your name.” Cold ice ran down his spine as they picked up the pace. _They know my name. They know my_ name. _Shit, shit, shit_.

His own face stared back at him from among seven portraits, clearly drawn by someone who had not seen him in years and made their best guess at how he would look now. There was a haughty tilt to his chin and a sneer on his face—Sirius felt sick. He wondered which family picture had been turned over to make this.

“That woman in the shop…” Remus frowned and glanced over his shoulder. “She must have known. Why did she help us?”

“Good question, let’s debate it on the road,” Dorcas said, hiking the straps of the small tent up as they walked through the gate. Sirius kept his eyes steadily on the mountain range ahead, but he didn’t take a deep breath until they reached the well-worn road and trees lined either side. “I think we should stay off the path from now on.”

“I second that.” James cast a final furtive glance around before stepping into the woods. “Did everyone get what we needed?”

“Should be enough,” Sirius said, giving his bag a light pat.

“The tent was expensive, so the blankets aren’t the best, but they’ll work.”

“We don’t have much food other than bread, jerky, and dried foods.” Lily shook her pack and it rattled drily. Everyone winced a little. “It would be a bad idea if we brought things that would rot. Any news on that secret pass?”

“None. We’ll have to cross them like we planned.” Dorcas sighed. “I really hate being cold.”

Behind them, the sounds of the village began to fade as they walked deeper into the forest; ahead, the mountains stood as the final obstacle between them and Os Anguis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about that last cliffhanger! Well, not really, but the sentiment stands.
> 
> Life has been.......what's the polite way to put this? Beyond batshit. Ugh. But hey, there's a woman in the White House y'all!!! Woohoo!! So much happened in this chapter and the vibe was just Not There for the first three (yes, three) drafts, so I apologize for the wait. Please, please leave comments and kudos! I re-read all of them for inspiration and I want to give you all hugs!


	10. Enemy At the Gates

Sirius couldn’t feel his feet. Or his ankles. Or anything from his knees down, really. The wind screamed around the cliffs above them and he pulled Peter close, tucking their blanket tighter. Peter sobbed into his shoulder and Sirius didn’t blame him—what wasn’t numb burned with pain as their blood desperately tried to circulate.

“Dorcas? Dorcas!” Marlene’s frantic voice was nearly lost in the noise and Sirius pried his eyes open, blinking away the fine ice crystals that had begun forming as tears gathered at their corners. The direwolf nudged the bundle of blankets with his nose and he saw her move; Marlene made a high sound of relief.

Remus had been a wolf for days now, pushing through the snow and acting as the main heat source to keep James and Dorcas from freezing to death. Neither of them had any experience with cold weather, and certainly not like this. It was a miracle nobody had fallen ill yet.

Every day, Sirius regretted coming into the mountains, but they couldn’t go back. Each step took them closer to Os Anguis and their parents; as long as they stayed low, they could make it through.

Snow tumbled down overhead and he winced at the few flakes that blew into his face. On his other side, Lily’s continuous shivering grew worse. “Lily!” he shouted, trying to be heard over the constant howling. “Lily, are you alright?”

Her face crumpled and she tucked it further into the neck of her coat; he felt her shaking against him and pressed their foreheads together.

“You’ll be okay.” His voice cracked and he winced. “Lily, we’re all going to be okay.”

“I can’t feel my arms,” she wept, though it was too cold to waste tears. “I can’t—I can’t feel anything.”

“Just hold on.” _Just hold on. Just a little longer. We’ll be there soon_.

In all honesty, Sirius didn’t know how long they had been in the mountains. Though they skirted the base as best they could, the clear blue sky had been devoured by thick grey clouds that poured an endless waterfall of snow and ice over them. They had walked until his blisters grew blisters, then rubbed raw, then froze solid. He truly dreaded the agony that would come when they reached the other side and he regained feeling.

On their third night—maybe fourth, maybe fifth—there had been a break in the blizzards. Remus turned back into his human form and curled up in the tent with them, latching on to Sirius with an unbreakable grip as he shuddered with exhaustion and cold. They were all rattled from James’ brush with death, when he nearly fell into a ravine so deep no light shone on the sides.

Then the moon rose. They sat in the tent and stared at the sky in all of its radiant glory, pressed so close to one another that Sirius couldn’t tell whose body was whose anymore. Constellations danced through the distant peaks and they took turns telling their stories. Sirius knew the most, so he talked until his throat was sore.

And then the ribbons began. Green, purple, the most vivid blue any of them had ever seen—all of it was there, weaving back and forth in slow ripples like fire. Remus’ breath caught and he grabbed Sirius’ hand as the light reflected off his face. “It looks like home,” he managed, his voice thick. “It looks like _home_.”

Another gust sheared off the peaks high above and Sirius was yanked back to reality by the harsh stinging on the smallest slivers of his exposed skin. The three of them pressed back against the outcropping of rock they had found; it was too stormy to set up their tent without it being torn to shreds in the banshee-wails of wind, and too dangerous to try and travel. They would have to wait until the sky calmed down before moving on.

“—us! Lil—” Snippets of Marlene’s plea slipped through the discord and Sirius squinted at her as she waded through the blizzard toward them, collapsing into the huddle of their blankets. “The wind is changing. Remus is going to move closer.”

Her words were slurred around numb lips, but the three of them nodded and relief washed over her face. “Do you need help?” Lily asked. Marlene shook her head and walked back to the wolf.

Sirius couldn’t see much around the sheet of gray and white that filled his vision as a wind tunnel rushed past them; the next thing he knew, Marlene was helping guide James into the space between him and Lily.

“Jamie, can you hear me?” James shivered and struggled to keep his eyes open. His lips were dark purple and the warm tones of his brown skin had dulled. Fear leapt in Sirius’ throat. “Stay awake, Jamie. I’ve got you.”

He dragged the edges of the blanket up to their shoulders, keeping Peter and James close; Lily wrapped herself around James’ side to conserve warmth and held Sirius’ fingers in a weak grip. Dorcas looked even worse off than James, with drowsy eyes and staggering steps.

Remus lumbered over to them, placing himself between their group and the sideways snow to form a makeshift wall. Sirius clumsily reached out to grab the nearest paw. “Remus, you’ll freeze.”

A warm breath fogged over his hand and Remus stared up at him with a slow blink. The wolf huffed again and pushed them all closer together, shutting his eyes as a sharp gust ruffled his fur. “I tried.” Marlene shook her head. “He wouldn’t listen.”

Sirius didn’t have the strength to argue. He kept one hand in the ruff at Remus’ neck and the other around James, resting his head on Peter’s temple and tangling his leg with Marlene’s as she held Dorcas. And he slept.

* * *

The first thing he noticed when he opened his eyes was light. The blistering snow had settled, nearly blockading them in their small hideout. James was limp against him, but his breathing was steady—Dorcas was awake and staring around in wonder.

 _Thank you_ , he thought with every scrap of force he could muster. _Thank you_.

He slid his hand up the direwolf’s neck and onto its head, stroking one pointy ear. Remus’ eyes opened and he let out a sigh, leaning into Sirius’ touch. “Is it safe to walk?” Peter asked, his voice hoarse. “Can we even get out of here?”

Their coats were magnificently dry despite the thin crust of ice. _Thank you_ , he thought once again. Remus stood with a low groan and a veritable bank of snow sloughed off his side, making all of them wince. Sirius’ knees screamed in protest and every joint popped, but the hint of warmth was worth every ache as he stepped out into the dazzling sunlight through dense clouds.

“Let’s cover as much ground as we can before that blizzard comes back,” he said. The boots from the little village were just a bit too small, but at least they kept the damp out of his thick socks.

“Is there any way we can drop down a bit? It’ll take longer, but it might be warmer.” Lily picked chunks of frozen snow out of her braid and grimaced.

Sirius peered over the edge of the cliff. “Maybe?”

James joined him at the edge and frowned. “Not here, that’s for sure.”

“Let’s keep walking,” Dorcas said as she blew hot air into her hands. “Waiting around isn’t going to do anything.”

Trudging through snow was incredibly difficult—Sirius had discovered that on the first day, when they covered about half of the distance they would have on a normal road. The others noticed it as well, and they made a silent agreement to ration their food for as long as they could. Still, it would barely be enough to get them to the other side of the range.

If not for the constant light up above, Sirius would have thought they walked for days. Some feeling had returned to his legs, though it was a horrific combination of scalding tingles and the sore ache that came from working every muscle in his body. _Just as I thought I was getting stronger_ , he grumbled internally.

“Food break,” Peter finally panted as they crested another ridge. Sirius groaned in relief and sat heavily on a nearby rock.

Something cracked.

He froze.

The rock gave way, and then there was nothing below him.

He didn’t even have time to shout before the direwolf and James were both lunging for him; one hand locked around his wrist and another grabbed the back of his coat collar as the rock shattered a hundred feet below. He wasn’t even breathing as the two of them hauled him back over the edge and scrambled to safety with the rest of the group.

“Sirius. Sirius, look at me.” Someone’s palms were on his face, but he was shaking too hard to tell whose they were. Everyone was too close, too crowded in his vision. “Pete, hand me that blanket.”

Weight draped around his shoulders and he shuddered, reaching out to grab the front of James’ shirt. “Jamie,” he choked out. His muscles had turned to stone. “Jamie, holy fuck.”

“Shhh, it’s okay.”

There was a gentle squeeze on his wrist and he glanced at Remus, who was pink-cheeked and disheveled in the cold. “Hey, you.”

“Thanks,” he said weakly. “For—for catching me.”

“Just returning the favor.”

Lily rubbed his upper arm and pushed some jerky into his hand from her pack. “Eat.”

“It’s nice seeing your face,” Sirius said as he gnawed on the tough meat. Remus cuddled up against his side, sandwiching him with James. The shakiness was starting to wash away and he took a few deep breaths.

“Fucking cold is what it is,” Remus half-laughed, shivering. Sirius wrapped an arm around him and knocked their temples together lightly. “Thanks.”

“ ‘s no different than what you’ve been doing the past few days for the rest of us.”

“Speaking of, I think you should take a break,” Marlene said as she passed the jerky around to everyone else. “We’ll set the tent up and then you should take a nap.”

“I’m fine,” Remus said, even as he leaned closer to Sirius and stifled a yawn. “Lils, you said you wanted to move near the base?”

Lily squinted up at the sky, which was rapidly purpling under the clouds. “I don’t want to get caught at night. Let’s find another rock shelf to block the wind.”

“When we get out of here, I’m finding hot chocolate,” James sighed as he stood and stretched. “I’m finding a huge fucking mug of hot chocolate and not sharing it with any of you. And then I’m going to sleep for four days straight.”

“Can I join you?” Sirius asked, cracking a smile. He pressed a kiss to Remus’ curls—the fact that he could do that now still gave him butterflies—and wobbled to his feet with a groan.

They set up the tent quickly, falling into the routine they had created over the past six (seven? Eight?) days in the mountains. James and Dorcas were always the first in, despite their loud protests; the climate adjustment had been hardest on them, and none of the others were willing to risk giving them frostbite for the sake of an extra two minutes’ work. Sirius narrowed his eyes at Marlene as she gestured for him to enter before her.

“You first.”

“No, after you.”

“L—”

“If you say ladies first, I’m removing your kneecaps.”

“L…longswords first.”

“Will you self-sacrificing idiots _please_ stop letting the cold in?” Peter sighed.

Dorcas stuck her lower lip out. “Honey, I need cuddles.”

Marlene practically shoved Sirius into the snow in her hurry to wrap her fiancée in her arms; Sirius tied the tent closed and snuggled up into Remus’ front, pulling one of his arms over his waist in a spoon shape. “Much better.”

“Mhmm.” Warm lips brushed the back of his neck and he smiled, rubbing his face against Remus’ bicep. “Who’s the dog here, again?”

“I’d be the cutest dog you’ve ever seen,” Sirius teased as he closed his eyes. Warmth seeped into his bones, though the tent walls shuddered in the wind as night fell and their breath steamed, creating small drops of condensation on the fabric. Traveling through mountains was inconvenient for many reasons, not the least of which being the inability to make progress when the sun was down—this late in the year, they barely got a few consistent hours.

Sirius didn’t dream, but he did sleep for almost the whole night. Everyone was safely in reach and not in imminent danger of freezing to death; he could relax a bit and soak in the gentle pressure of Remus’ body against his back.

He saw Remus differently, now. Instead of a cute prince he could dance with at a party and maybe sneak off with for a few stolen kisses in the short time they had together, Remus was a fierce friend that he couldn’t imagine leaving. He wasn’t quite to James’ level—nobody ever would be—but a significant part of Sirius’ heart was absolutely devoted to him. If they all survived this quest, he knew he would never want to leave Remus’ side again. That thought both terrified and thrilled him.

They awoke in turns; after nearly a month of 24-hour contact, Sirius could tell who was up just by their breathing. Remus hummed and pulled him closer, giving his shoulder a nudge with his nose before kissing it gently. “G’morning.”

“Morning.”

“Is everyone up yet?”

Sirius craned his neck back and saw Remus blinking blearily at the others. Dorcas was playing with Marlene’s hair, and Lily watched James with a strange expression on her face; Peter shifted in his sleep, then stretched and cracked an eye open. “Almost.”

“It sounds calmer outside,” Lily said quietly. Sirius flicked the nearest wall and heard snow shift down—Remus sighed.

“I’ll clear a path.”

“No,” Sirius groaned, dragging him back down for more cuddles. “We can stay until Marley and Jamie are up.”

“ ‘m up,” James mumbled. “Don’ wanna be, but I am.”

“Shhh, I’m trying to get snuggles.” Laughter rippled through them and Sirius smiled, turning to tuck his head under Remus’ chin.

“How long were we out?” Peter asked as he squinted at the brightest patch of light.

“A while. Nobody slept much during the blizzard.” Dorcas kissed Marlene’s forehead. “Time to get up, sweetheart.”

“Cuddles,” Marlene mumbled, tugging on the front of her coat. “More cuddles.”

Dorcas shook her head with a smile. “We really should get moving. If Lily’s plan works, we’ll be warmer tonight.”

Marlene sighed heavily, but sat up kissed Dorcas’ cheek all the same. “Right then, let’s get a move on.”

* * *

When they got back home, Sirius was going to buy Lily the biggest fruit basket he could find. The base of the mountains left them more exposed and added a day or two to their travel time, but the sun’s rays cut through the cloudcover and it was _warm_. Well, warmer than a few hundred feet higher, where a thick ring of fog blocked all but the peak from view. They could set up their tent every evening without worrying that high winds would shear through it, and on the second day, Sirius was able to peel off his outer layers.

The lower elevation made it easier to track time, as well—losing that sense had been beyond disorienting. They spent three full days walking through frosty brush and valleys pockmarked with boulders before high towers rose in the distance.

“Look,” Dorcas breathed. Her whole face split into a beaming smile. “Look!”

“Os Anguis.” Awe filled James’ voice.

“We’re so close.” Peter sounded a little choked up and Sirius reached over to ruffle his hair. “Holy fuck, we can see it. That’s, what, three days from here?”

“Two, if we haul ass.” A deliriously happy grin spread over Remus’ face and he kissed the top of Dorcas’ head, then cupped Sirius’ face and planted a proper one on his lips.

“We need to leave the mountains more often,” Sirius panted when they broke apart.

Marlene, who had been staring at the towers in total shock, let out a happy shriek and practically launched herself into Dorcas’ arms. “We can _see it!_ ”

“And we can see something even better.” The corners of Lily’s eyes crinkled as she pointed at the wide path below them. Two deep divots stretched from a hidden road, all the way over the hills as far as the eye could see. “How many carriages can you think of that use secret passages?”

The breath punched from James’ lungs. “We’re almost there.”

Sirius gave him a little shake. “What are we waiting for, then?”

Not a single smile faltered as they clambered down the mountainside—Marlene skipped along the edge of the road when they reached it and twirled Dorcas until she could kiss the laugh from her mouth. The wagon tracks could have belonged to a lumber cart, a mason, or even a damn cabbage merchant for all Sirius cared. This was a direct path to their goal. A direct path to Fleamont and Euphemia, along with everyone who made his friends’ hearts ache in their absence.

How had it been a month since he last saw their faces? It seemed like a year and the blink of an eye all at once. _Will they recognize me?_ Sirius wondered as they ducked into the sparse forest for a bit of cover. _I’m not sure if I would recognize myself._

He hadn’t set eyes on a mirror since…well, probably not since Hemgard on their first night away. His last proper bath that didn’t include rushing river water was in Bailey, more than three weeks prior. At least nobody in the group was going to judge him for it.

Sirius felt stronger, too. He had been wiry and soft when he left Silvalith, then leaned into that in Harindvar and grew accustomed to easy comfort. Over the course of a month spent running for his life, his chest and legs had filled out, and it was easier than ever to swing his sword.

As they walked, Sirius cast a cursory glance around the rest of the group. James had always been stocky; he and Lily carried a similar gravity about them that had only grown. Marlene’s arms were even more toned than before, and Dorcas’ shoulders had broadened from so much shooting. Some of the baby fat had melted from Peter’s face—he looked older, more mature.

And Remus… “What?”

Sirius shook his head. “Nothing. Just thinking.”

“About?” Remus thumb trailed absently over his knuckles.

“We grew up.” As Sirius said it, the truth hit him even harder. In spite of the untethered terror they faced daily, all seven of them seemed more settled than before.

Remus looked amused. “We’re all in our twenties.”

“Still. We’re not clueless idiots fumbling around on pure adrenaline anymore.”

A slow look of understanding crossed his face. “You’re right.”

“It happens on occasion,” Sirius teased, giving him a bump with his shoulder. Remus nudged him back, and soon it devolved into a full-blown jostling war that only ended when he tripped over Lily and nearly sent all three of them tumbling into a tree with a series of shouts in varying degrees of panic.

Silvalith looked much the same as it had six years ago, when he grabbed a handful of necessities through a haze of fury and pain before setting out on the east road. The woods even smelled familiar—sharp and fresh in the crisp autumn air. Small cottages dotted the countryside, though they all appeared to be occupied and it was far too risky to even consider approaching them. For all its quaint beauty, Silvalith was still a pit of vipers; if they were recognized, they would certainly be killed.

By some miracle and no lack of scrapes from hiding in the bushes whenever someone passed through, they made it to the outer city. A mile from their campsite, torches flanked the gate of Os Anguis and lined its walls. They had not lit a fire since the previous night—roasted squirrels were decided less tasty when they were a day old.

Sirius was halfway through his second squirrel when a horrible groaning noise filled the air. In an instant, all seven of them were braced for a fight—Remus scanned the woods, stock-still and crouched low like a spring. The ground trembled slightly beneath their feet.

“There,” Marlene whispered, tilting her chin toward the city. The front gates finished opening with a high squeal and Sirius’ blood ran cold.

Legions of soldiers marched out, their torches and banners held high in the fading light as armor clanged in a death knell with each step. “We’re too late,” he muttered. “This—Riddle’s got the whole army on the move.”

“We can’t stop them all,” Lily said. “And I’d rather not die trying after we came all this way.”

“Agreed.” Peter chewed the edge of his nail in thought. “We need a way to get in and out of the city without being seen. Can we steal uniforms?”

Dorcas shook her head. “Seven would be a stretch, but we would need fifteen once we get our parents. They would notice that many missing. We need to be sneaky about this.”

If Sirius was asked to describe his friends in one word, ‘sneaky’ would not even make it into the top 100. They attracted trouble like magnets and seemed physically incapable of shutting the fuck up—looking back, it was a miracle they had made it to Os Anguis at all. No wonder the Death Eaters had tracked them so easily.

“Where are they going?” Marlene asked as a worried crease appeared between her brows. Soldiers continued to flood out with no sign of stopping—their spears sparkled in the moonlight.

“My best guess is the Middle Kingdom,” Sirius said. “Riddle almost took it during his last campaign, and the current royals wouldn’t put up much of a fight. He’ll spread from there.”

Remus straightened, though he still eyed the trees warily. “We need to work fast. Get in, get out, get home.”

James sighed. “There’s no way we’re going to be able to sneak in there tonight, not as long as the soldiers are still moving. I’ll take first watch.”

“Me, too.” Lily looked troubled as she sat down on a log and began fiddling with the blunt edge of her axe.

“It’ll take them a long time to reach the border,” Peter said. “At least we have that going for us.”

Sirius shook his head. “Not if they use the tunnels, remember? The Middle Kingdom would have no warning. We should talk more in the morning.”

There were a few murmurs of agreement as the others laid down; a tent would be too conspicuous, so they cuddled close for warmth and hunkered down behind some thorny hedges.

For the first time in over a week, Sirius had a nightmare. He assumed the near-constant trauma was the culprit for his brain completely shutting down at night, so it made sense that life would find a way to kick his ass after a few days of relative relaxation.

Blood slicked his hands as he drove his sword into the Death Eater’s abdomen, ripping a gasp from her—when he glanced up at her face, it was Lily staring back at him in agony. “ _Traitor_ ,” she spat through bloody lips.

The world tilted, and he was on a battlefield of ash and rubble as a madman’s cackle filled the air. James was convulsing in his arms, eyes wide with pain as he clutched his broken bow. A dark red patch spread across his chest, and Sirius watched his eyes go dim.

The laughter didn’t stop as the dream changed again and again. Dorcas, staring vacantly at the sky; Peter, in a heap by a hunk of stone; Marlene, begging Sirius to save her even though it was far too late; Remus in his vulnerable human form, pale and still and just out of Sirius’ reach.

Sirius was in too much pain to do more than kneel in the wreckage of the city with his family laying dead around him, utterly _alone_. “I’m sorry,” he forced out, setting off a flood of apologies as the laughter grew so loud his ears rang with it. When the ground opened up and swallowed him whole, he didn’t even try to stop it.

He jolted awake to someone’s hand over his mouth and lashed out as panic coursed through him, then went still as the person laced their fingers with his and shushed him softly. “Just a nightmare,” Remus soothed. “You were making too much noise. I’m sorry I scared you.”

Sirius closed his eyes as a line of soft kisses trailed down his neck and held Remus’ hand, letting the last of the tremors rock through him. “You’re okay?” he asked hoarsely after a moment.

“I’m fine.” Remus showed no sign of pain, despite Sirius’ white-knuckle grip. “Are you?”

“You died.” Bitter fear rose in his throat. “We were in the city and all of you died. I was alone.”

Remus pushed gently on his shoulder until he rolled onto his back, then brought Sirius’ hand up to splay over his chest; Sirius shuddered at the steady _thump-thump_ beneath his palm and a few salty tears tracked down to his ears. “See? I’m alright.”

“Re—” His voice broke and he wrapped both arms around Remus, pulling himself into a sitting position. “What are we doing?”

A warm hand traced his ribs. “We’re saving our parents, killing a king, and stopping an army. Once that’s over, we’re going to help Marley and Dorky with their wedding and I’m going to take you ice skating again.”

“And if we don’t make it out?”

“We will.” Remus pressed their foreheads together and kissed him gently. “Sleep.”

“I can’t.”

A smile played on his lips. “I’ll protect you.”

Sirius laughed, but it was weak. “That’s my line.”

“Which one of us has big, scary teeth again?”

“Try me and find out,” Sirius teased, tracing his cheekbone with his thumb. “How about we both try and sleep?”

“I’ve still got some time on watch before I switch with Pete.”

Sirius hummed and kissed him again. “Thank you.”

“Try to get some rest.” Remus stood and dusted himself off, giving Dorcas a quick nod across the campsite. Sirius settled back down on the hard-packed earth and closed his eyes, letting Euphemia’s voice in his head guide him through a few deep breaths.

The nightmare did not return, thankfully, but he slept hard enough that his eyes itched in the morning sun. Everyone was sullen and quiet as they wolfed down some berries and meat—the main road was studded with footprints and forgotten items from the soldiers, which they scavenged before returning to their silent circle.

“Who’s nervous?” James asked after a few minutes. Seven hands went into the air. “Good. Anyone got a plan?”

“We have nothing to bribe with, very little money, and no way to draw our parents out.” Dorcas counted on her fingers and sighed. “I think our best bet in sneaking into the dungeons and breaking them out.”

“Then we go and stab Riddle with your snazzy knife,” Peter said. Sirius’ eyes lingered on the pack with the weapon in it; he had not seen it yet, mostly because none of them wanted to risk messing around with a magic item. “The seven of us will move faster than the army, especially if we have horses.”

“Fifteen of us,” Dorcas corrected.

“We should do it tonight,” Marlene said. “We’ve lost enough time already. They’ll never expect it and the soldiers are all gone.”

Sirius thought for a moment. “They won’t be armed. Our parents, I mean. The hard part is getting back out of the dungeons with double the number of people.”

James scrubbed a hand over his face. “They’re not just going to let us waltz out of there, either.”

“Then we’d better be prepared for some bloodshed.” Sirius looked around the circle at their resigned faces. “None of us wants to kill people, but it’s going to come down to us or them.”

“You’re right,” Lily said. “We knew this quest was going to end bloody, didn’t we? It just…might be a little worse than we expected.”

Dorcas held her hand out in the middle of the circle, palm down. “Whatever happens in there, let’s promise not to think differently of each other. We stick together no matter what.”

“No matter what,” Sirius murmured as they stacked their hands. “There’s nobody else I’d rather do this with, by the way.”

“Same here,” Remus said. Peter nodded and Marlene bumped him with her elbow.

* * *

It was simultaneously the longest and shortest day of Sirius’ life. One moment, he was running through forms with Marlene for the eighth time, and the next, the sun was halfway through the sky. When evening began its relentless approach, they packed their things and hid them in the underbrush—once they got out of the dungeons, they would grab what they had and _run_.

Anticipation made Sirius’ hands shake as they geared up, strapping scabbards and spears in utter quiet. Remus checked his sword before sheathing it, though he looked troubled; Sirius touched his elbow. “What’s wrong?”

“If I shift and we don’t kill the guards, they’ll know. It was already stupid to let those Death Eaters get away before.” His jaw twitched. “Either we kill them or the best-kept secret of my home is revealed. Devil, meet deep blue sea.”

“We’ll be with you the whole time. You’re not going to be alone through it.” Sirius raised his voice slightly and glanced around. “That goes for everyone. We do this as a team, or we don’t do it at all.”

As they began the steady trek toward Os Anguis, James wrapped an arm around his shoulders and gave him a squeeze. “Start as a team, end as a team, yeah?”

Sirius quirked an eyebrow. “I guess we’ll just ignore that bit in the middle.”

“Exactly,” James laughed under his breath. His face was alight with hope. “Fuck, I can’t wait to see them.”

“They were worried about you.” _There’s Sirius, but where’s James? Monty, I don’t see him!_ “They—they were worried about us both.”

Getting into the city was surprisingly easy—since it was a trading hub, Os Anguis had a million and a half side exits for merchants. All they had to do was choose the darkest one, knock out the guards, and creep into the city. Riddle’s castle was a bit more of a challenge, but after half an hour of careful spying they saw a young maid leave an unguarded side door.

Dorcas tilted her chin toward it and they all nodded, tiptoeing across the darkened plaza without a sound. Remus held the door open so they could slip inside, keeping a careful watch on the surrounding area with unwavering attention.

The castle was wonderfully warm, even in the side hall. Sirius flexed his sore fingers as Remus closed the door on the late autumn chill—if they weren’t literally on death’s doorstep, he would have sighed in relief. A few guards passed through a nearby corridor and they plastered themselves against the wall until the footsteps disappeared and Sirius’ heart stopped hammering in his ears.

Marlene pointed at a set of stairs leading down and tingles erupted in Sirius’ stomach as they crept along the wall; if Marlene was correct, they were mere minutes from seeing their parents.

 _CLANG_.

All seven of them whipped around and Peter froze as a small bucket rolled away from his foot, the sound still ringing in the stone corridors. “Go!” Lily hissed, shoving Peter toward the stairs. Sirius turned and came face-to-face with the point of a sword. Guards and Death Eaters alike poured in around them, armed to the teeth and grinning.

“Well, well, well.” _Fuck_. “Look what the cat dragged in.”

Sirius sighed and turned slightly. “Hello, Regulus. Long time, no see.”

“Sirius, who is this?” Lily asked warily. James’ eyes were huge in his face.

One of Regulus’ dark eyebrows arched; he certainly looked older than the last time Sirius had seen him, but the family resemblance had not dulled in the slightest. “Oh, you didn’t tell them? Typical. You always were a runner. Honestly, I’m surprised you kept this lot around so long.”

“Everyone, say hello to my little brother,” Sirius said around gritted teeth. In his periphery, Remus’ jaw went slack. “How’ve you been, Reg? You look awful.”

“I’ve been better than you, you fucking coward,” Regulus spat. Fury shone through the slight crack in his nonchalant mask and satisfaction spread through Sirius’ chest at the sight—he was as predictable as ever.

“Reg—”

“You’re a liar and a traitor!” A hard punch to his jaw made Sirius’ vision speckle with black. “And for what? What could possibly be more important than family?”

Sirius laughed ruefully. “You mean our family? The one filled with batshit crazy people who built a fortune on death? Yeah, I’ll pass.”

“Easy, boys.” Bellatrix stepped between them and patted Regulus’ head. “Siri, didn’t I tell you he was more fun?”

“Get your hands off him,” Sirius snarled. Surprise flickered over Regulus’ face.

“Sirius, what the fuck is going on?” James inhaled sharply as a crossbow centered on his chest.

“Family reunion,” Bellatrix said in a tone of pure venom. “Pity we’ll have to kill you before you say hello to mummy and daddy. Auntie Walburga is _dying_ to see you.”

Even after six years, the name sent a bucket of ice down Sirius’ spine and he felt himself go pale; Bellatrix cackled, flipping a knife in her hand. He swallowed hard. “You’ve tried to kill me before, _Bella_ , and it didn’t work.”

Her smile slipped at the childhood nickname and for a moment, her true madness gleamed. “Just for that, I’ll muzzle your boy and slit his throat first.”

Sirius stepped closer to her and narrowed his eyes. “I’d like to see you try.”

“Wait!” Peter rocked forward, then back again as four spears bristled at him. “Wait. We had a deal.”

“A _what?_ ” the rest of them chorused.

“Pete—” James’ voice broke.

“You promised not to kill them,” Peter continued, looking directly at Bellatrix. “You said that if I brought them here, they wouldn’t get hurt.”

“You sold us out.” Lily opened and closed her mouth a few times in disbelief. “You _sold us out!_ ”

Sirius dropped his sword and grabbed Peter’s coat, slamming him against the wall until his feet left the ground. “You little _rat_. After everything we’ve been through—”

Two guards dragged him backwards by his armpits—one hit him in the gut hard enough that he wheezed. Remus lunged forward, but Bellatrix backhanded him and opened up a cut on his lip. “Down, boy,” she sneered.

Marlene was dead silent across the circle with her eyes closed. Sirius couldn’t imagine what she was feeling—her oldest friend, a traitor. “How could you?” James asked, sounding torn between anger and grief. “Pete, why would you do this?”

“They swore to leave my mum’s village alone if I turned you in.” He shook his head as tears welled up. “You won’t be harmed. I’m so sorry.”

Sirius felt no pity. “When we get out of here, I’ll kill you myself.”

The soldiers stripped them of all their weapons—even Marlene’s arm guards—and pushed them toward the staircase, nearly throwing them down a few steps. The shock seemed to have sunk in and all six of them began yelling furiously at Peter; Sirius couldn’t make out each threat, but the air burned with vitriol.

It smelled worse as they went deeper into the dungeons, like old hay and misery. Marlene’s breathing went shallow when she saw the large iron cage and she struggled in the guard’s hold before he grabbed her by the hair and threw her in. “Leave her alone!” Dorcas shouted, kicking him in the back of the knee. The rest of them fought against their captors, but it was all in vain—within moments, the lock fell in with a heavy thud.

They gathered at the thick bars, pounding on the metal as the Death Eaters disappeared up the stairs. “Pettigrew, you best hope we never get out of here!” Remus yelled as the door high above slammed shut.

“I can’t believe this.” James shook his head and kicked the base. “I can’t _fucking_ believe this.”

Dorcas shot Sirius a withering look. “I knew your family was shitty, but you never told me they were _Death Eaters_.”

“Shockingly enough, I don’t like talking about it!” Sirius snapped. “You think I didn’t try and stop Regulus from joining them? It was supposed to be me!”

“None of us even knew he existed!”

James glanced at the floor and Lily turned furious red. “ _Somebody_ did.”

“Sorry for not sharing my whole tragic backstory with all of you,” Sirius said sarcastically. “I was a bit busy trying to stay alive.”

Remus looked wounded. “You said you trusted us.”

“I do! I just don’t mention that my family is full of murderous lunatics when I want people to like me!”

“Hello?” The prisoner in the adjacent cell shifted and Sirius paused. Their voice was vaguely familiar.

Dorcas’ breath hitched and she hurried to the bars, pressing her face against them—a moment later, she screamed.

“Dorcas!” A man’s face appeared in the flickering torchlight, then vanished for a moment. “It’s them!”

More shouts filled the air, but there was a frantic edge of relief to them instead of the previous anger as both sets of prisoners crowded against their cells. Sirius’ stomach dropped to his feet as a familiar head of wild hair caught the low light. “James,” he choked out. “ _Jamie_ —”

A broken noise tore from James’ chest as he wrapped his hands around the bars. “Dad! Dad, it’s me!”

“ _James_.” Fleamont’s voice caught in a sob and Sirius leaned his cheek against the cold metal. “Sirius, is that you?”

“I’m here.” He sank to the ground as his knees gave out. “I’m here, I’m so sorry.”

“I can’t—” Remus desperately shoved his shoulder through the gap between bars in an attempt to reach Queen Hope’s hand. Less than a foot of space hung between their outstretched fingers. “You’re too far away!”

She wiped a few tears off her cheeks. “It’s alright, sweetheart, I can still see you.”

“How long have you been here?” Marlene asked as she gave up on trying to squeeze through the bars and rested her forehead against them instead as tears coursed down her face.

“More than a week,” Queen Annette said shakily. “We missed you so much, darling.”

“I missed you, too,” she sobbed.

“We saw you.” Fleamont’s eyes settled on Sirius as if he was trying to memorize his face. “On the hill by the valley, when you were chasing us. Where was everyone else?”

Sirius lower lip trembled and he shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

“We were in the Wildland.” James’ voice was hoarse. “If we had known—”

“The _what?_ ” Euphemia and King Amir shouted at the same time.

“You split up?” King Rashid sounded appalled. “ _Why?_ ”

“There was this stupid wizard and we didn’t have enough time to get everything we needed.” Dorcas sniffled and reached out, as if she could touch her fathers’ faces. “Papa, I missed you.”

“This feels like a dream.” King Lyall’s eyes never left Remus’ face.

“We’ll find a way out, don’t worry,” Remus promised, feeling along the edge of the cell.

Hope smiled through her tears. “That’s what we’re supposed to say, love.”

“Maybe—maybe we can lift the hinges?” Lily suggested, bracing her back against one side. “Dorcas, you’re taller than me. Take that side while I push.”

Remus and James took the other end and they all shoved together—a slight creaking noise made Sirius’ heart clench with hope, but the door didn’t budge. “Does anyone have a knife? Maybe a pin for the lock?”

“I think a key would work better,” Peter said quietly from the base of the stairs. Sirius’ anger rekindled immediately and the six of them lined the front of their cell, practically steaming with barely-contained rage. It was his fault they were here; _his_ fault that the first glimpse of their parents was through two layers of iron bars.

Regulus appeared behind him half a second later and spared them a quick glance. “I suppose you haven’t told them?”

Instead of answering, Peter took the keys off the wall and opened the cage; before anyone could move, Marlene engulfed him in a hug. “You okay?”

“Who gives a shit?” Lily snapped. “He’s a traitor.”

“No, he’s not,” Marlene said as she released him. “Just a very, very good actor.”

Sirius blinked. “What?”

“Sorry, who is this?” Fleamont asked from his cell. “I don’t think we’ve met, young man.”

“I’m Peter. Peter Pettigrew.” He waved awkwardly before turning back to their group. “Marlene and I made a plan during our watch to get all of us into the dungeons without making people suspicious. It was the safest thing we could think of.”

“So…the safest way into the city was doing exactly what we were trying to avoid?” Dorcas raised her eyebrows. “Clever.”

“You are all ridiculous,” Regulus muttered as he took a different set of keys down and unlocked the other cell door. Before it was open all the way, eight people came tumbling out.

Sirius hung back with Peter and Lily while the others reunited in a jumble of sound and movement; his heart ached with joy as Dorcas disappeared in Rashid and Amir’s arms. Marlene’s mothers nearly tackled her in their excitement as James and his parents swayed slowly in the middle of the room. Remus’ family was utterly silent, but Hope hadn’t stopped peppering his face with kisses and he was a bit boneless in his father’s embrace.

“Sirius.” James’ voice brought him back to himself and Euphemia reached out, beckoning him toward their hug. He went without question and nearly dissolved at the familiar warmth.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured into her shoulder as tears prickled his eyes. They were _here_ ; he could hold them again.

Fleamont hummed. “You keep saying that, but I don’t know why.”

“I left James. He almost died.”

James bumped him with his hip. “If this is about the Wildland—”

“I promised to stay with you.” Sirius’ throat constricted.

Euphemia tilted his chin toward her with a touch that made him hurt with its gentleness. “When we took you in as our ward, we did it with no expectations, Sirius. You are not obligated to glue yourself to James and you never have been. We just want _you_.”

“Thank you,” he managed. He held them tighter as the tears spilled over. “For—for everything. Holy shit, I missed you so much.”

“You have until dawn before the next guards come down for their shift,” Regulus said after a few more minutes of hugging. “Whatever you’re planning, I suggest you do it around then.” When they stayed quiet, he narrowed his eyes. “You do have a plan, right?”

“Not…an official one,” Marlene said carefully. All eight adults and Regulus groaned aloud. “At least we got here!”

James shrugged. “We’ve been winging it this whole trip. As long as Lily doesn’t leap over any more cliffs, we’ll be fine.”

“I suppose you’re Lily, then?” Fleamont looked over at her, clearly amused. “Do I even want to ask about that?”

She blushed. “Uh, it was in the Wildland. Not my most rational moment.”

Fleamont ran a hand through his hair. “I think all of you have some explaining to do.”

“Explanations can probably wait until we’re out of here,” Dorcas said as she reluctantly extracted herself from her fathers’ hold. “We’ve got some planning to do.”

Sirius looked over to the corner of the room, where Regulus lingered. “Reg, can we talk for a second?”

After a moment’s hesitation, he nodded, and Sirius felt James give him a squeeze before letting him go. They walked down the hall to the dungeon master’s office, where Regulus perched on the desk. There was a beat of tense silence. “You found a family.”

“I missed you.”

“I hate you.” He sounded miserable and drained, but not angry.

Sirius sighed and sat next to him. “Can you at least tell me why?”

“Because you _left_. You left me with them and they only got worse.”

“I’m sorry. If I had a choice, I would have taken you with me.”

“You did have a choice.” Regulus’ careful guard slipped down and his voice wobbled. “Not all of us can just run away, Sirius. I never wanted this.”

“I didn’t run away,” Sirius said softly. In the low candlelight, Regulus looked even more like a younger version of him. Understanding settled in his gut. “Reg, Mother kicked me out after the party. They disowned me.”

“…so they lied to me.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“I should’ve known. It wouldn’t be the first time.” He shook his head with a humorless laugh and tugged a loose thread on his cloak. “I hate it here.”

“Then come with us. You’re already helping us escape—what’s a little more treason?” Sirius saw the flicker of a smile at the edge of his mouth and scooted closer. “Why _are_ you helping us, anyway?”

“I told you, I hate it here. These people are horrible, and Riddle is—” He pressed his lips together. “There’s something _wrong_ with him, Siri. If his plan continues, so many people are going to die and everything is going to fall apart. I’m done sitting on the sidelines.”

“Will you come with us?”

Regulus hesitated. “I’ll think about it. Let’s see if your friends came up with a plan first, alright?”

“Alright.” Neither of them moved. “I really did miss you, you know.”

Their shoulders brushed, then Regulus leaned over until there was a solid point of contact. “I missed you, too, you bastard.”

Sirius made a face at him. “Fuck off.”

Regulus grinned. “You first.”

Heading back to the group felt less like a walk to the gallows; the air between them had cleared of some tension, and Sirius reveled in having his little brother within his eyeline again. The hole Regulus left was starting to heal. “So, did we get anything done?” he asked, sitting crosslegged next to Remus.

“We’re going to wait until just before the guards change shifts and catch them while they’re tired. Pete brought all our weapons back, plus the…thing.” James’ eyes flickered to Regulus, who huffed.

“Easy, Jamie, he’s on our side.”

“I’m the one who took it, dumbass.” Regulus rolled his eyes. “Riddle asked for it specifically, so I figured it must be important and switched them.”

James’ eyebrows rose. “Huh. Thanks.”

“He’s a terrible person and needs to die. I’m only too happy to make it hurt extra with the betrayal.”

Marlene nodded in approval. “I like you. Sirius, is this what you’d be like with a few more braincells?”

Sirius wadded up a clump of hay and threw it at her head; their circle was tight enough that everyone’s knees overlapped, so the ball kept its shape quite well before exploding all over her front. “Shut your face.”

“Bite me.” He bared his teeth at her and she looked over at Remus in mock-horror. “Oh, no, he’s turning into you!”

Annette cocked her head in confusion. “What?”

“Because of the…” Marlene trailed off as Remus gave her a warning look. “Uh, nevermind. Inside joke.”

Hope turned slowly to Remus, who slid a bit closer to Sirius. “Remus.”

“Yes?”

“Did you or did you not—”

“I did,” he blurted. “Sorry. I mean, it was justified, but they know.”

Hope pinched the bridge of her nose. “Please tell me it was a life or death situation.”

“Oh, it was,” Lily assured her. “He was about to get stabbed and the crazy Bella lady was going to slice Sirius’ face off.”

“We would’ve frozen to death without him when we crossed the mountains,” James added.

Eight adults stared at them, wide-eyed with horror. “Explain, please,” Euphemia said faintly.

“Which part?”

“All of it,” they said in unison.

“We were on the road to Os Anguis and got ambushed by some Death Eaters,” Siris said before anyone else could make it worse. “Remus’ sword got knocked away mid-battle and Bellatrix has this weird thing about killing me slowly, so she pinned me down and he…did the thing.”

“What thing?” King Amir gave Remus a wary look and Dorcas rested her hand on his arm.

“It’s nothing dangerous,” she said.

Remus made an ‘ehh’ noise. “It’s a _little_ dangerous.”

“You said you crossed the mountains?” Euphemia prompted. All seven of them grimaced at the memory.

“Yeah, it sucked. We spent, what, ten days up there?” James looked around the circle, but everyone shrugged. “That was the worst part of the trip for sure.”

“Tunnels,” Marlene cut in at the same time Lily said, “The metal boar.”

Lyall made a timeout motion with his hands, looking exhausted. “Let’s start from the top, okay?”

“We don’t have time for that,” Regulus interrupted. “You have two hours until dawn, maybe less.”

Sirius sighed and saw Dorcas’ shoulders slump. “Gear up, everyone,” he muttered as he helped James to his feet. The calm, easy atmosphere from before disappeared as they collected their weapons from the table; collecting their weapons was practically muscle memory by then.

“You still don’t have a plan,” Queen Louise pointed out, then frowned when Dorcas slid the cloth-wrapped dagger into her belt. “What’s that?”

“That’s what we went to the Wildland to get,” Dorcas said as she tested her bowstring.

“It’s a magic knife,” James clarified, skimming his hands along the fletching of his arrows.

Fleamont frowned. “What do you need a magic knife for?”

Marlene slipped both her blades into her arm guards and tightened the straps till they were snug. “We’re going to kill the king.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to Thatbookgirl747 and prependoulia for your comments <3 Those were a true inspiration and helped me push through some wicked writer's block with the pacing of this chapter. Also, thank you to everyone who has been so patient with my terrible update schedule! I have the whole fic outlined, but longer chapters take up more time to write in a coherent storyline. Comments and kudos are the best way to get more consistent updates!
> 
> Songs for Chapter 8:  
> \- Into the Open Air (Brave soundtrack) for the reunion

**Author's Note:**

> I highly suggest keeping the map open while you're reading the actual story--travel times and locations will make a lot more sense if you reference it!
> 
> Come talk to me on tumblr at @wayward-demigod-witch!


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